"The Colorado River Drought Crisis: How Did This Happen? Can It Be Fixed?"

"The Colorado River is in crisis. The problem has been building for decades but has come to a head in recent years because the major manufactured reservoirs on the river have fallen to dangerously low levels, prompting the Biden administration to call for unprecedented cuts in water usage among the 40 million people who rely on the river.

That is forcing tough decisions out West. How do you balance securing water for some of the fastest growing cities in the country with preserving water for farming regions that supply most of the country’s winter vegetables? Do you recognize that some users have a longer established right to the water than others, such as farming regions that laid legal claim to the water before urban areas?

Six of the seven states along the Colorado River have agreed to an approach for cuts that would get them close to what the Biden administration is calling for — but California, the biggest water user along the river, remains the lone holdout, leaving officials in the West worried about conflicting plans."

Joshua Partlow reports for the Washington Post February 5, 2023.

SEE ALSO:

"How to Keep the Colorado River From Drying Up: Mark Gongloff" (Bloomberg Environment)

"At The Heart Of Colorado River Crisis, The Mighty ‘Law Of The River’ Holds Sway" (Los Angeles Times)

"Biden Administration Is Caught Between California And Its Neighbors In Colorado River Fight" (Politico)

"The Colorado River: Where the West Quenches Its Thirst" (Los Angeles Times)