Colorado River Drought
Empty reservoirs, no rain, and thirsty cities is putting much of the southwest at risk.
A river basin stretching more than 1,400 miles across six states, and into Mexico is drying up, and you should be worried.
The Basin
A 245,000 square mile area of tributaries major rivers flow from the rockies all the way to the Mexican Gulf of California.
Colorado River basin & it's major rivers
A historical drought
Empty lake-beds, dropping reservoir levels, and drying rivers.
A look at the live updated US drought monitor shows how severe the drought really is:
Drought Intensity
Who is at risk?
Cities That Use Colorado River Water
More than 10.2 million residents across 20 major cities. These cities are facing water restrictions, agricultural problems, and potentially loss of electricity in the form of hydroelectic.
The river also flows through seven national wildlife refuges and 11 national park units. This puts native species and delicate ecosystems at risk.
What is at risk?
Decline in water flow & its effects.
Critically, if water levels drop below a certain height, electricity will not be generated through the turbines at Hoover dam. Given the drought, water levels are getting close to putting the damn out of operation.
Water levels at Hoover Dam
Water allocation across states
Fair Share?
The seven states who the water is divided amongst don't receive an equal split.
Of the estimated total 15 million acre feet of water, California & Colorado get the biggest cut.
Colorado & California getting the most water:
Water allocation across the basin.
Gallons per County
Where is it going?
Certain counties are demanding more water than others. Upstream counties in Colorado use much more water, not leaving much for those further down the basin.
Major Reservoirs
Where is all the water held?
Six major reservoirs contain the storage capacity of the basin, however current levels are all well below average.
How much is there now?
Lake Mead
Currently at 47% of normal storage capacity. Lowest levels in 30+ years.
Navajo Reservoir
Currently at 68% of typical capacity.
Lake Powell
Currently at only 39% of typical storage. Also lowest levels in 30 years.
How to adapt?
Among many other groups working on conserving water and working towards more sustainable goals, this Congressional Action plan had set out some steps.
Part of a Drought Response Operations Agreement (DROA):
Upper Basin states agree to operate system units to keep the surface of Lake Powell above 3,525 feet, which is 35 feet above “minimum power pool” (minimum water level needed to produce electricity).
Golf courses water
Be Water Wise
Take for example the number of Golf courses found across the basin, especially in areas like Los Angeles, which is already "exporting water from a watershed it doesn't belong to.
If water usage for Golf courses, lawns, and many other unnecessary things was curtailed, the state of western water would be in a much better place.
A difficult Future
If weather patterns and water consumption habits do not change, large areas of the U.S. Southwest could be in store for very different futures. Water restrictions for residents, irrigation quotas for farmers, and arid cities could be the norm if climate change persists.
Phoenix aqueducts, water delivery, dry farms.
