Topline
The Biden administration this week imposed deep cuts to water usage from the Colorado River next year after years of overuse and drought fueled by climate change, as unprecedented low water levels threaten reservoirs, hydropower and agriculture throughout the West.
A buoy sits on the ground in a section of Lake Mead that was previously under water (Photo by Justin … [+]
Key Facts
Extreme heat and low precipitation have brought the Colorado River to a “tipping point” Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said this week, while Interior Department Assistant Secretary For Water And Science Tanya Trujillo said water cuts are necessary to avoid a “catastrophic collapse of the Colorado River system.”
The Interior Department projects Lake Mead, a reservoir formed by the Hoover Dam, will fall below 1,050 feet above sea level by January, meeting a water-shortage-tier for the first time, threatening the viability of the dam, which generates enough electricity to serve roughly 1.3 million people in Arizona, California and Nevada, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
The drought is also putting farmers at risk of losing their crops as one of their primary irrigation sources runs dry – the Colorado River is estimated to provide water for a $15 billion annual agriculture business, the Associated Press reported.
More than 40 million people rely on the Colorado River for water use, the New York Times reported.
Water levels are at historic lows amid a historic 21-year “megadrought,” in some cases revealing … [+]
Water levels at Lake Mead stand at 27 percent of capacity, its lowest level since being filled in … [+]
Lake Powell, a reservoir formed by the Glen Canyon Dam, upriver from Lake Mead, has also dropped to … [+]
Water intake pipes sit on ground in front of Pyramid Island on a section of Lake Mead that was … [+]
Prolonged drought has Lake Mead at historically low water levels on August 17, 2022 near Boulder … [+]
Key Background
The two-decade megadrought has brought parts of the West into its driest period in more than 1,200 years, according to a study published in February in the journal Nature Climate Change, brought on by intense heat waves and scarce precipitation accelerated by climate change. As of June, nearly 70% of the West and Southern Plains face drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The cuts announced this week are one of the biggest steps taken to protect the Colorado River, although they’re smaller than those imposed last year, which primarily targeted farmers in Arizona — part of a 2019 contingency plan between southwestern states, officials in Mexico and American Indian tribes.
Big Number
21%. That’s the share of Arizona’s water supply from the Colorado River that will be cut, according to the Interior Department. Nevada’s allotment will be cut by 8%, while Mexico’s will be reduced by 7%.
Further Reading
Crisis looms without big cuts to over-tapped Colorado River (Associated Press)
U.S. Announces Major Colorado River Water Cuts Amid Historic Western Drought (Forbes)
Western U.S. Drought Approaches Historic Levels – Here’s Why That Matters To You (Forbes)
The Colorado River drought is coming for your winter veggies (Vox)
Hydropower Worries Grow As Colorado River Reservoirs Keep Dropping (KUNC)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2022/08/20/feds-say-colorado-river-is-in-crisis-heres-what-it-looks-like/