Many communities in the West are growing, and in some places that’s putting pressure on already scarce water supplies. That’s the case in northern Colorado, where a proposed set of reservoirs promises to allow small suburbs to keep getting bigger.
Coal-fired power plants are closing, or being given firm deadlines for closure, across the country. In the Western states that make up the overallocated and drought-plagued Colorado River, these facilities use a significant amount of the region’s scarce water supplies.
A warming climate is already causing river flows in the southwest’s largest watershed to decline, according to a new study from federal scientists. And it finds that as warming continues it’s likely to get worse.
With short-term drought plans finished, water managers from across the Southwest recently gathered in Las Vegas to figure out what’s next
The West’s water security is wrapped up in snow. When it melts, it becomes drinking and irrigation water for millions throughout the region. A high snowpack lets farmers, skiers and water managers breathe a sigh of relief, while a low one can spell long-term trouble.