Category: Colorado river basin

States Living Off Depleted Colorado River All Agree to Landmark Water Cuts

California, Arizona, and Nevada have come together in a plan to protect the Colorado River Basin and reduce their water use from the river to save it from current drought conditions over the next three years, the southwestern states announced on Monday. The southwestern states have agreed to cut at least 3 million acre-feet of water through 2026—a…


Biden Admin Proposes Reducing Water Supply From Colorado River Basin Amid Drought

The Biden administration has proposed a federal mandate to reduce the supply of water to 40 million Americans who live in western states dependent on the Colorado River Basin to address long-term severe drought and low run-off conditions. The actions were part of a draft report by the Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) Bureau of Reclamation….


Wildfires Could Cause Cascading Problems for Drought-Stricken West

Smoke-filled skies blanket the West Coast, while on the ground, thousands of bone-dry acres burn. Historic levels of dryness in areas like California have only increased over the past three years, and firefighters combatting the infernos use every tool at their disposal to try to get the upper hand. After a fire, charred trees stand…


Megadrought Threatening Millions of Americans With Loss of Water and Power

The Colorado River Basin meanders through seven U.S. states and supplies water to Lake Powell in the Upper Basin and Lake Mead in the Lower Basin. In turn, these reservoirs deliver water and power to millions of Americans. They’re also going dry. Indeed, on Aug. 16, 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation issued the first Level…