Drought and overuse have been draining the Colorado River for decades
By Bryony Cottam
Seven US states have reached a historic deal to cut water use to help stop the Colorado River from running dry. The 2,400 kilometre river, which has been shrinking for decades due to ongoing droughts and overuse, supplies drinking water and essential services such as irrigation and hydro-electric power to 40 million people and 30 tribal nations.
The Colorado is currently the most endangered major river in the USA, as photojournalist Jonas Kako explains in this feature originally published in the January edition of Geographical. Currently, around 8.6 trillion litres of river water is allocated for use every year, a significant portion (56 per cent) of which is used to grow feed for livestock. The falling water levels are clearly visible on the upper reaches of the river, writes Kako, adding that – for some time now – both California and Arizona have consistently taken more than their agreed share of this limited resource.
Now, after a year of difficult negotiations, Arizona and California, as well as Nevada, have reached an agreement to reduce their water intake to conserve 3.7 billion cubic metres to the end of 2026, an amount equal to 13 per cent of the water currently drawn by the three states. The states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico – which all draw water from the Colorado – have endorsed the plan. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has allocated US$1.2 billion in grants to compensate local water districts, cities, tribes and farmers for the cuts.
However, high demand for its water supply is just one problem facing the Colorado River. Climate change is leading to longer, more frequent and more intense droughts which, coupled with the reduced snowmelt from the nearby Rocky Mountains, are thought to be the main causes of the river’s decline.
