Water Shortage In Colorado River Essay
The Colorado River runs 1,450 miles from the Rockies in Colorado to the Gulf of California in Mexico. It is responsible for suppling freshwater to seven of United States western states. Those states include Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. In 1922, these states met and agreed upon water allocations each state would receive. They signed the Colorado River Compact of 1922, which split the Colorado River Basinamong the states into a lower and upper basin, based on where the basin waters naturally drain into the river north or south of Lee Ferry.North of Lee Ferry is considered upper basin and south is lower. It is the lower basin states (Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah) that are experience the brunt of the water shortage.
Climate change in the southwestern US includes above averagetemperatures, and less rainfalls. These changes are contributors to the water shortage. GeoscientistBrad Udall, director of the University of Colorado Western Water Assessment, estimates the climate change will contributeto 5-20 percent of water loss in the next forty years. While the climate changedoescontribute to the water shortagein the region, it is not the main factor.
When the treaty was signed in 1922, the Colorado River had a above average river flow of 21 billion cubic meters. The allocations that …show more content…
The more the population grows the more resources and water will be needed. So cities and counties need to become water conscientious and emulate the water policies of cities, like Las Vegas, have in place. They encourage residentsto have yards with plants that requireminimumwater and they highly regulate their golf courses where the excesswater goes back to the Colorado River. The leaders involved in the area need to review the Law of the River and ensure all the policies and laws reflect the needs of the people as well as to keep the best interestif the
Climate change in the southwestern US includes above averagetemperatures, and less rainfalls. These changes are contributors to the water shortage. GeoscientistBrad Udall, director of the University of Colorado Western Water Assessment, estimates the climate change will contributeto 5-20 percent of water loss in the next forty years. While the climate changedoescontribute to the water shortagein the region, it is not the main factor.
When the treaty was signed in 1922, the Colorado River had a above average river flow of 21 billion cubic meters. The allocations that …show more content…
The more the population grows the more resources and water will be needed. So cities and counties need to become water conscientious and emulate the water policies of cities, like Las Vegas, have in place. They encourage residentsto have yards with plants that requireminimumwater and they highly regulate their golf courses where the excesswater goes back to the Colorado River. The leaders involved in the area need to review the Law of the River and ensure all the policies and laws reflect the needs of the people as well as to keep the best interestif the