News Southwest Water Shortage

[VisionofMilotic]

According to the US drought monitor map the Southwest is currently experiencing exceptional drought levels.

https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/

Water flow in the Colorado river has decreased significantly, and scientists conducting the 2020 U.S. Geological Survey project that the river may lose 1/4 of it's flow by 2050.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...ing-up-colorado-river-studies-say/4842148002/

To underscore the significance of this water source to the United States, the Colorado River passes through not just Colorado, but Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and California. The Hoover Dam is on the river, and Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in he country, is formed by the dam. It is vital to the water supply in major cities like Phoenix, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. An estimated 40 million people depend on the Colorado River for their drinking water, not to mention it's importance for our agriculture.

Lake Mead has dropped 130 feet since 2000. The lake level hasn't been this low since the Hoover Dam was built, and the dam's hydro power has also declined by 25% due to the drought.

https://www.abc15.com/weather/impac...reduce-its-dependence-on-colorado-river-water

The region is normally hot and dry, but the temperature has risen to a point that the mountain snow, which reflects sunlight, is melting quickly and earlier in the year than it should, and instead of snow falling in some areas, it just rains. So without the factor of snow the water just evaporates against the sun rays.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/water-lev...rn-states-experts-concerned/story?id=78199192

The government is expected to have to declare an official water shortage in the region by 2022. It would be the first time this has happened on the lower Colorado River.

 

[Meganium]

I'm originally from the desert Southwest. My parents, who live in CA, have to deal with water restrictions in their town because of the shortage. Meaning they can't water their grass, garden, do car washes, etc. They sorta went through this before (I think 2018-2019?) and it was impossible to keep things green and growing.

It's also an area where most farm crops are grown and shipped nationally, so the agriculture sector is really concerning because even the water from the canals are shrinking, too (which is used for irrigation).

At this point, any monsoonal rainfall (Monsoon season started today) would be grateful right now.

 

[Corrin]

I live in Atlantic Canada, so I don't know what it's like and Canada is abundant in water. I really hope our government decides to help because it will only get worse.
That being said, Nestle bottles California water and sells it, this is inhumane and should be illegal at this point.

 

[RedDragonThunderzord]

I live in one of the states that the Colorado passes through, and we've had two very dry winters in a row. This year we had a record wet October, then a really dry November, and we've gotten some snow so far in December, but the drought is expected to continue. My state is one of the top-five driest in the country, but also has some of the cheapest water, because there isn't a need to build things to collect the water we get from snowmelt. I'd be really surprised, though, if our water prices don't go up, because the drought is expected to continue, and get worse.