The Intermontane West

Native Americans

Many of the first settlers of America were the Native Americans.  However, when European settlers discovered the sprawling landscapes, they decided to take it for themselves.  This led to the displacement of the original settlers.  Native American groups have experienced a great amount of mistreatment and disregard.

In the Intermontane, the major indigenous tribes were the Nez Perce, Paiute, Navajo, Hopi, Anasazi, Hohokam, and Mogollon.  When the first Europeans arrived, the Navajo, Hopi, Pueblo, Apache, and Utes were living on the landscape, growing maize and creating pottery and weavings.

Like the Intermontane, Native Americans once occupied Tennessee.  The two major tribes were the Cherokee and the Chicksaw.  The Cherokee claimed southeastern Tennessee and northeast Georgia and the Chicksaw maintained most of western Tennessee as their hunting grounds.  Interestingly, I am part Cherokee, so perhaps that is where my love for Tennessee comes from!

http://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Indians_of_Tennessee

http://www.firstpeople.us/pictures/art/1024x768_Pictures/Navajo-Indians-Shiprock-New-Mexico-1024x768.html

http://go.webassistant.com/wa/upload/users/u1000170/pages/0710-640854706ndHGIRg7dAO/w020.jpg

The Rocky Mountains

Tennessee’s Version of the Rockies—The Great Smoky Mountains

Although Tennessee is mainly made up of flat terrain, one mountainous region is worth noting.  The Great Smoky Mountains are located along the border of Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Cherokee, North Carolina.  I mean, look at how gorgeous they are!  It's no wonder thousands of people travel to Tennessee to catch a glimpse of these beauties! 

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is a major tourist attraction for Tennessee.  Many people go to visit the rocks that are over a billion years old!  Mainly composed of granite, sandstone, and slate, the Smokies are quite a sight to see!

http://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/great_smoky_mountains_national_park.jpg

http://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/The-Great-Smoky-Mountains-National-Park.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Smoky_Mountains_National_Park

The Great Plains

Riparian Water Rights

Current water rights are allocated by each state, which can cause conflict and eventual drought for surrounding states.  Western states employ prior appropriation that allows the usage of water for “any useful or beneficial purpose.”  Eastern states, like the Great Plains follow riparian rights, which allow water rights to owners of water frontage land for reasonable use.  In other words, water rights are acquired by ownership of property touching on a watercourse or overlying an aquifer.

Tennessee is to some extent a regulated riparian state. There is little regulation and legislation regarding water in Tennessee compared to surrounding states.  However, Tennessee still follows the “reasonable use” riparian rights.  Fortunately, if conflict surrounds a water law it is usually because there is too much water rather than not enough.    

http://images.flatworldknowledge.com/mayerlpei/mayerlpei-fig33_002.jpg

http://eerc.ra.utk.edu/divisions/wrrc/water_supply/chapter3.htm