2021 Western Water Crisis Hub: Drought, Water Scarcity & Water Resources in the U.S. West
To share stories, articles or first hand accounts of the drought, please contact the Water & Wastes Digest staff by emailing [email protected].
| The above image uses the June 24, 2021 U.S. Drought Monitor map as a background image to show the size and scope of the drought. View the latest map at https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu. |
Drought in California and states in west of the Rocky Mountains in the Western U.S have faced water scarce conditions for years. By autumn of 2020, drought conditions in the Western U.S. were among the worst seen in the previous decade and came to a peak in December of 2020. After a minor decline in severe drought conditions, the climate took a turn for the worse. A particularly dry spring in terms of precipitation in addition to the oncoming summer temperatures have resulted in increasingly worse drought conditions.
With worsening drought conditions and record low reservoir levels, water resources are being strained. Communities and municipalities are banning or limiting watering lawns, washing cars and other activities to conserve water resources and cut water usages by as much as 40% in some cases. With these actions being taken in June and likely several more months of drought conditions on the way, strain on those water resources will only increase. It could become a Western Water Crisis.
This article serves as a place to get the latest news about drought and water scarcity in the U.S. West. It will create and establish a timeline of events cataloging the news and issues surrounding water resources, water scarcity and water conservations efforts. WWD editors will update this post daily with the latest news headlines and articles from national and local media sources as well as WWD's own reporting. Check back daily to learn more about the drought, the challenges it is placing on utilities and their communities, and the solutions those utilities and communities are devising to stave off a record dry summer.
Official Drought Resources:
- Drought.gov - Drought and Its Effect on Water Utilities (Includes Mapping)
- Climate Engine - On-Demand Cloud Computing and Visualization of Climate and Remote Sensing Data
- U.S. Drought Monitor - Drought Map & Regional Drought Summaries Updated Regularly
- Evaporative Demand Drought Index - What is Evaporative Demand and Mapping to Explain It
Updated March 8 at 4:23 p.m.
Audubon Discusses Western Water and More With Secretary of the Interior
Mar. 8 via Audubon.
Secretary Haaland was joined by congressional delegation, tribal and city leaders.
Lake Powell is About to Drop Below a Critical Level Never Reached Before, as Drought Rages on
Mar. 3 via WLFI News.
For the first time since it was filled more than 50 years ago, Lake Powell, the second-largest reservoir in the country, is projected to dip past a critical threshold, threatening water supplies and putting a key source of hydropower generation at heightened risk of being forced offline, as climate change-fueled drought continues to grip the Western US.
Exclusive: Experts say the Term "Drought" may be Insufficient to Capture What is Happening in the West
Feb. 16 via CNN.
As the American West continues into its 22nd year of a parching megadrought, officials at the federal government's top water resource management agency are trying to plan for an uncertain and unprecedented time for the nation's largest reservoirs.
Are Markets A Wet Dream for US Western Water?
Feb. 10 via Forbes.
At the close of a national water summit at the Aspen Institute—now almost 10 years ago—a program director for a philanthropic foundation that has water at the core of its mission stood up and told a room full of decorated water wonks that our thinking was thoroughly unimpressive.
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to Provide for Western Water Projects
Jan. 31 via Boating Industry.
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced that western communities vulnerable to drought will receive $1 billion over the next five years through funding from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law last November.
After Snowy December, California Suddenly Turns Dry, Magnifying Drought Concern
Jan. 25 via The Washington Post.
Many parts of central California have seen almost no rain or snow so far this month.
Drought Conditions Improve in U.S. West, But More Snow is Needed
Jan. 24 via The Washington Post.
By January, snowpack was above normal for most Western basins.
California’s Drought Reckoning Could Offer Lessons for the West
Jan. 13 via The Pew Charitable Trusts.
The golden hills of California have turned green in recent weeks after a series of storms delivered much-needed rain and snow to a state suffering from two years of drought.
The Western Megadrought is Revealing America's 'Lost National Park'
Jan. 11 via NPR.
On a turquoise lake in a sandstone desert, Ross Dombrowski is trying to figure out what to do about the rock growing behind his houseboat. The rock, spectacular and rust red, like most in southern Utah, wasn't visible below the water's surface when Dombrowski moored his houseboat on Lake Powell last year.
Map: See How a Parade of Early Winter Storms Improved Drought Conditions in California
Jan. 3 via NBC Los Angeles.
A series of early winter storms that brought days of rain and snow to California helped improve conditions in the drought-stricken state.
Vivid Satellite Imagery Captures a Reversal of Fortune for Drought-Plagued Parts of the West
Dec. 29 via Discover Magazine.
At least for now, California and other parts of the western United States have gone from famine to feast.
Drought-hit Western U.S. Walloped by Powerful Winter Storm
Dec. 28 via France 24 News.
Three feet (one meter) of snow had fallen in 24 hours on parts of the Sierra Nevada range, taking December's total to a record-breaking 16 feet, and bolstering the badly depleted snowpack that feeds the region's reservoirs.
A Year of Extreme Weather in the American West – in Pictures
Dec. 27 via The Guardian.
Even before summer heatwaves sent temperatures soaring across the west, lakebeds had already begun ceding ground to the cracked, dried earth.
Drought Update Has 'Abnormally Dry' Conditions Spreading to Western Parts of State
Dec. 21 via Watauga Democrat.
Even though the High Country received some rain Saturday, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, it hasn’t been enough to stave off the ongoing drought conditions stretching across the state.
California Water Board Considers Rules to Mitigate Wasteful Water Practices
Dec. 20 via WWD.
The California Water Board announced that an emergency exists due to severe drought conditions and that adoption of proposed emergency regulations is necessary to address the emergency.
As Climate-driven Drought Slams Farms in U.S. West, Water Solutions Loom
Dec. 17 via Mongabay.
Drought in the U.S. West has been deepening for two decades, with no end in sight. Unfortunately for farmers, water use policies established in the early 20th century (a time of more plentiful rainfall), have left regulators struggling with their hands tied as they confront climate change challenges — especially intensifying drought.
The West Sizzled in a November Heat Wave and Snow Drought
Dec. 13 via Inside Climate News.
Even as one of Denver’s longest snow droughts on record—232 days—was forecast to end on Friday, nerves in the Mile High City were frayed after a summer of climate extremes, and a heat wave that has stretched into late autumn.
Snowpack is Off to a Poor Start in the West, Bad News Amid Widespread Drought
Dec. 7 via The Washington Post.
December marks the start of meteorological winter — when temperatures plunge, heavy coats are in fashion and kids begin picking their teams for snowball fights.
California DWR issues 0% allocation from State Water Project
Dec. 6 via AP News.
Water agencies in drought-stricken California that serve 27 million residents and 750,000 acres of farmland won’t get any of the water they’ve requested from the state heading into 2022 other than what’s needed for critical health and safety, state officials announced Wednesday.
How a Federal Drought Relief Program Left Southern Oregon Parched & Contributed to the Ongoing Groundwater Crisis in the West
Dec. 3 via Circle of Blue.
This April, Micah Goettl, an emergency coordinator for the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS), began to hear reports of residential wells failing in Klamath County.
Californians Fall Short on Water Conservation Efforts Amid Drought
Dec. 2 via KTLA.
A severe drought prompted California Gov. Gavin Newsom last summer to ask the state’s nearly 40 million residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 15% this year. New data released Tuesday shows few people are doing that.
Small Farms Battle Speculators Over Centuries-old Water Rights in Drought-stricken Colorado
Dec. 1 via National Geographic.
On a sage-infused summer morning in the San Luis Valley, Robert Quintana steps from his worn silver pickup truck to check the acequia. Quintana relies on the historic ditch to irrigate his alfalfa fields—but it’s empty, only a trickle of water smudging the dirt along its cracked concrete base.
Unseasonably Warm Temps Postpone Winter Recreation in Western Montana
Nov. 30 via KPAX.
A few decades ago, the managers of Montana’s ski hills planned on being able to open on Thanksgiving. Now, the effects of climate change have made it a rarity.
These Four Metrics are Used to Track Drought, & They Paint a Bleak Picture
Nov. 29 via KUNC.
Drought has tightened its grip on the Western U.S., as dry conditions tick on into their second decade and strain a river that supplies 40 million people. Experts agree that things are bad and getting worse. But how exactly do you measure a drought, and how can you tell where it’s going?
Drier Weather Leads to Worsening Drought Conditions in Some Areas
Nov. 18 via High Plains Journal.
Drier weather in the southwestern United States, western Great Plains, and Southeast led to drought conditions developing or worsening for parts of these regions this week. The northern Great Plains, western Great Lakes, the Northeast, and the Pacific Northwest saw significant precipitation this week, which led to improving drought conditions in parts of these regions.
Southern California is Prepared for Drought
Nov. 17 via The California Department of Water Resources (DWR).
This version of California’s Groundwater provides a comprehensive look at statewide groundwater activities, compiling technical information and data from 2003 to 2020. This bulletin recognizes the historic passage of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) in 2014 and builds a statewide framework to share new information and progress made by locals who are managing groundwater basins across the state. It also highlights emerging topics such as water markets and the impacts of climate change on groundwater and summarizes groundwater information for each of the State’s 10 hydrologic regions.
The West-wide Drought & the Struggles of Idaho, Utah
Nov. 16 via KSL.
The sunny skies and pleasant fall afternoons may bode well for your mental health, but they're not going to help you when it comes to next year's irrigation season.
Drought in the Western U.S.
Nov. 10 via USDA.
The U.S. Drought Monitor categorizes drought in a region according to soil moisture, streamflow, and precipitation levels.
Irrigation, Water Management Play Key Roles in Smoothing Drought Impacts
Nov. 9 via Phys.org.
A new study examining more than 100 years of agricultural production and weather data in the U.S. suggests stored water plays an important role in providing resilience to drought. The findings also suggest water management strategies, which differ across the U.S., play a key role in how different areas of the country respond to weather anomalies.
Wildfire, Drought Provisions in Infrastructure Bill Bring New Funding to Old Ideas on Western Slope
Nov. 8 via Vail Daily.
In the Colorado River Basin, the infrastructure bill addresses the most crucial infrastructure of the West in water infrastructure, allocating $300 million to implement the Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan.
The West’s Historic Drought in 3 Maps
Nov. 5 via KTVZ.
After months of unrelenting drought, precipitation is bringing minor relief to the West, particularly in the Pacific Northwest and northern California.
USGS Study Examines Baseflow Decline to Lower Colorado River Basin
Nov. 4 via WWD.
The study provides the first estimates of projected baseflow changes from 1984 to 2012, to thirty-year periods centered around 2030, 2050, and 2080.
Despite All the rain, California's Drought Isn't Over
Nov. 3 via NPR.
A welcome early season deluge of rain in California has not ended the drought which persists in other parts of the West as well. The warming climate makes it harder to replenish rivers and reservoirs.
California Drought Persists, Even With Recent Rain. Conserve Water Now With These Tips
Nov. 2 via The Sacramento Bee.
Even with the recent storm drenching Northern California, it’s important that residents conserve water, experts said.
Southwest States Facing Tough Choices About Water as Colorado River Diminishes
Nov. 1 via CBS News.
This past week, California declared a statewide drought emergency. It follows the first-ever federal shortage declaration on the Colorado River, triggering cuts to water supplies in the Southwest.
Storms Pull Parts of Bay Area Out of Exceptional Drought
Oct. 28 via KRON4.
The storms and atmospheric river last week was the first major rainfall the Bay Area has seen in months, and came after a bad drought season.
Severe Drought Hits South America
Oct. 27 via The Wall Street Journal.
Most years, when rains are normal, four Olympic swimming pools worth of water passes each second through the mammoth Itaipú Dam, churning out electricity for both Paraguay and Brazil and allowing ships and barges to export grains as far away as China.
Drought Takes Personal Toll as Utah Farmers Lose Money, Land & Cattle
Oct. 26 via The Salt Lake Tribune.
Rows of farmers and ranchers in rural Sanpete County are familiar with the late J. Golden Kimball, the “swearin’ elder,” who said “always marry a woman from Sanpete County. No matter what hard times you experience together, she has seen worse.”
Fire-Scarred California Braces for More Storms, Flash Floods
Oct. 25 via NBC Bay Area.
Even if California were to have above-average rain and snow this winter, warming temperatures mean it still likely won't be enough to make up for all the water California lost.
NASA launches tool that measures Western water loss
Oct. 22 via The Herald Sun.
NASA on Thursday launched an online platform with information on how much water evaporates into the atmosphere from plants, soils and other surfaces in the U.S. West, data it says could help water managers, farmers and state officials better manage resources in the parched region.
Strong storms are heading toward drought-parched California
Oct. 21 via NPR.
A series of strong storms is expected to bring powerful wind, mountain snow and substantial rainfall to the Western U.S., including drought-affected California. The storms could also ease wildfire season in some places in the state.
Harris visits Lake Mead to discuss drought, pitch administration’s climate change proposals
Oct. 18 via Reno Gazette Journal.
Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday will highlight the problems caused by Western drought as she visits Lake Mead in Nevada and makes the case for the Biden administration’s infrastructure and climate change proposals that have stalled in Congress.
Drought-stricken Western towns say no to developers
Oct. 14 via The Counter.
In the small city of Oakley, Utah, the drought conditions parching much of the West have depleted the natural springs that supply water to the community. During each of the past several summers, local leaders worried that quenching any major fire might empty the city’s water tanks.
Western Drought Drives Decline in Hydroelectric Power Generation
Oct. 13 via The Smithsonian.
The drought facing much of the American West is hurting the region’s ability to generate electricity by throttling the water flowing through hydroelectric power plants, reports Michael Phillis for the Associated Press.
Drought-Stricken Western Towns Say No to Developers
Oct. 12 via The Pew Charitable Trusts.
In the small city of Oakley, Utah, the drought conditions parching much of the West have depleted the natural springs that supply water to the community. During each of the past several summers, local leaders worried that quenching any major fire might empty the city’s water tanks.
The West’s historic drought in 3 maps
Oct. 11 via Mercury News.
A vast majority of California is currently in extreme or exceptional drought, the two most severe categories. Across the West, drought has strained water resources.
Western Farmers & Ranchers Cope with Drought & Look for a Way Forward
Oct. 8 via American Farm Bureau Federation.
Farmers and ranchers often deal with the uncontrollable factor of the weather, and this year Mother Nature has been on a relentless scorched earth campaign in the West.
Audubon's Jennifer Pitt Testifies Before U.S. Senate on Drought & Water Supply Impacts on Wildlife
Oct. 7 via WWD.
The testimony encompasses the western drought and water conservation efforts, as well as its impact on birds and their habitats.
The Colorado River is drying up. Here’s how that affects Indigenous water rights
Oct. 6 via Grist.
"The basin is free-riding off of undeveloped tribal water rights."
Study Looks at the Impact of Drought in the West on Water Supplies
Oct. 5 via WWD.
Researchers examined four decades’ worth of water samples from the Snake River in Colorado.
River District report highlights Western Slope concerns with state water-savings plan
Oct. 4 via Skyhinews.
The Glenwood Springs-based River District undertook its own investigation of a plan — known as demand management — that would pay water users to consume less and send the saved water downstream to Lake Powell.
Could LA water recycling be a miracle for parched West?
Sept. 28 via E&E News.
With severe drought strangling the West, the country’s largest water provider has embarked on a multibillion-dollar project that could help them cope with increasingly frequent shortages exacerbated by climate change.
The Future Of Water In The U.S. West Is Uncertain, So Planning & Preparedness Are Critical
Sept. 27 via Ensia.
Water authorities in the Western U.S. don’t know what the future will bring, but they are working collaboratively and with scientific rigor to make sure they’re prepared for anything.
La Niña is about to take the Southwest drought from bad to worse
Sept. 24 via CNN.
Global scientists reported in August that due to the climate crisis, droughts that may have occurred only once every decade or so now happen 70% more frequently.
As California’s drought deepens, water use drops only 1.8%
Sept. 23 via Cal Matters.
Californians reduced their water use at home by a meager 1.8% statewide in July compared to last year, even after Gov. Gavin Newsom urged residents to conserve 15% and drought continues to spread across the state.
Americans are moving to a region plagued by a 22-year drought
Sept. 22 via The Economist.
"Weather was the ultimate arbiter in the American West,” Marc Reisner wrote in “Cadillac Desert”, his book on water there, published in 1986.
A 1,000-year drought is hitting the West: Could desalination be a solution?
Sept. 21 via Phys.org
The United States and many other parts of the world are reeling under the impacts of severe drought. One possible solution is the desalination of seawater, but is it a silver bullet?
Google to Replenish 20% More Water Than it Uses by 2030
Sept. 20 via WWD
Google aims to replenish 20% more water than its offices and data centers use by 2030, according to Google Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt in a blog post.
Drought haves, have-nots test how to share water in the West
Sept. 17 via Seattle Times
In this swath of central Oregon, where six irrigation districts rely on the Deschutes River, the consequences of the strict hierarchy dictated by the American West’s arcane water law — “first in time, first in right” — are written on the land. As drought ravages the West, the districts with century-old water claims are first in line for the scarce resource while others nearby with more recent claims have already run out.
“It’s like the Wizard of Oz. … It’s shocking the difference,” said Matt Lisignoli, a farmer who got nearly five times more water on his land in one irrigation district than on fields in another.
“I’ve learned more about water in the last two months than I have in the last 20 years, because it’s always been here,” he said. “You don’t know until you get in a bind.”
Professor Part of Massive Field Lab Researching Global Warming's Impact on Water Sources
Sept. 16 via Newswise
At a time when a drought is affecting the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River system, Indiana University professor Travis O'Brien and a team of scientific colleagues are embarking on a monumental U.S. Department of Energy project to better predict the future of water availability in the West.
California's Climate Crisis: Droughts & Major Wildfires Are the 'New Normal'
Sept. 15 via Fox News
"We have to stop thinking about drought is an emergency that only happens once in a while and we respond to it as a rare event, but recognize that this is becoming the new norm and we need to shift water management approaches that say we have a new normal now and we have to manage things differently," California Direction of Water Resources Interstate Resources Manager Jeanine Jones told Fox News.
Can the Food Sector Survive the Water Crisis?
Sept. 14 via Sustainable Brands
The IPCC report released last month painted a harrowing picture of the continuing climate crisis, but also delivered dire news for the related water crisis. In a significant departure from the last report released in 2013, the latest models indicate that many of the droughts we are seeing can be highly correlated with human activity. Not only that, but these droughts are actually getting worse — bringing heat as well as lack of water.
Fresno County towns with no drinking water drown in debt while hope fades for new well
September 13 via Fresno Bee
The longer it takes for two new wells to be dug in Cantua Creek and El Porvenir in western Fresno County, the deeper in debt the towns are mired.
Now, with the drought, those well projects are in a race against dropping groundwater levels as farmers, cut off from surface water supplies, are leaning more heavily on the aquifer.
Dixie Fire updates: Blaze explodes overnight as battle to save Old Station, Hat Creek continues
September 10 via Record Searchlight
The monster blaze is close to costing $500 million in firefighting efforts to suppress it, the most of any other fire this season, according to figures posted Thursday by the National Coordination Interagency Center. The July 13 fire is California's second largest wildfire of all time but only by a difference of less than 100,000 acres.
Rare earth elements & old mines spell trouble for Western water supplies
Sept. 8 via Science Daily.
The study is the first to look at how rare earth elements move within a watershed that is rich in minerals. It is also the first to investigate how climate change, by altering stream flow and natural weathering processes, is releasing more rare earth elements into streams.
Prized trout streams shrink as heat, drought grip US West
Sept. 7 via AP News.
The North Platte River in southern Wyoming has been so low in places lately that a toddler could easily wade across and thick mats of olive-green algae grow in the lazy current.
Drought-Hit Blue Mesa Reservoir Losing 8 Feet Of Water To Save Lake Powell. A Western Slope Marina Feels The Pain
Sept. 3 via Colorado Public Radio.
People wait in line at Elk Creek Marina to back their trailers into the water to pull their boats out of the lake. Some, like Walter Swetkoff, are frustrated. Swetkoff and his wife have sailed Blue Mesa Reservoir outside of Gunnison, Colo., for more than 30 years. The National Park Service told everyone who stores their boats at the marina they had 10 days to get out of the water because of the drought.
Polis & Other Western US Governors Urge Biden To Declare A Federal Drought Disaster
Sept. 2 via Colorado Public Radio.
Gov. Jared Polis and governors from nine other western states are urging the Biden administration to declare a federal drought disaster across the western U.S. The bipartisan letter requesting federal aid says that without more funding, it will take years for agricultural communities to recover from drought, heat and catastrophic wildfires.
Western Drought Will Last Into Fall or Longer
Sept. 1 via New York Times.
The severe drought that has gripped much of the western half of the United States in spring and summer is likely to continue at least into late fall, government forecasters said Thursday.
U.S. Ramps Up Wild Horse Roundups In Drought-Stricken West
Aug. 31 via NPR.
Wild Horses are dying from dehydration during the severe Western drought. Now, the federal government is planning to save them by rounding up thousands and adopting them out across the country.
Colorado SAIL Observatory to Observe U.S. Western Water Shortage
Aug. 30 via WWD.
According to Berkeley Laboratory expert and on-site researcher Ken Williams, the SAIL observatory will face challenges in predicting the west coast water supply.
As the West bakes, Utah forges ahead with water pipeline
Aug. 26 via E&E.
As drought and climate change strangle the Colorado River, a small county in Utah nevertheless continues forging ahead with a billion-dollar pipeline to suck more water from it to sustain its growing population.
Western lawmakers call on Biden, FEMA to declare drought disaster
Aug. 25 via NBC.
Congressional leaders are calling on President Joe Biden to declare a drought disaster in the West as record temperatures and historic wildfires batter multiple states.
What is the Drought's Effect on Western U.S. Water Resources?
Aug. 24 via WWD.
Droughts in the Western U.S. make headlines worldwide, posing particular challenges for people living and working in the affected regions. Here’s a close examination of the effects of drought on available water resources.
Opinion: This is how western states must change because of the Colorado River water shortage
Aug. 24 via Market Watch.
The U.S. government announced its first-ever water shortage declaration for the Colorado River on Aug. 16, triggering future cuts in the amount of water states will be allowed to draw from the river.
West Nile virus: another alarming side effect of US drought
Aug. 23 via The Guardian.
Stagnant water caused by dry weather gives mosquitoes – the insect that spreads the virus – free rein, leading to an increased risk for humans.
The West’s megadrought is so bad, authorities are airlifting water for animals
Aug. 20 via VOX.
The 20-plus-year drought in the American West hit a new extreme this week as the US government declared a water shortage on the Colorado River for the first time in history.
Booming Colorado town asks, ‘Where will water come from?’
Aug. 19 via PBS.
The problem for the northern Colorado town that bears the 19th-century newspaper editor’s name: Too many people have heeded his advice.
Bureau of Reclamation Announces First-Ever Water Shortage in Lake Mead, Colorado River
Aug. 18 via WWD.
The federal government declared a water shortage at Lake Mead, one of Colorado River’s main reservoirs.
Climate Change Hits Sushi Supply Chain Amid California Water War
Aug. 17 via Bloomberg.
If you’ve eaten sushi anywhere in the U.S., chances are the rice came from California’s Sacramento Valley. Fritz Durst, a sixth-generation farmer, has grown the grain and other crops there for more than four decades. But this year, amid a historic drought, Durst is planting only half as many acres of rice as usual.
Gov. Polis requests FEMA disaster help with drought in Western states
Aug 16 via KDVR.
Governor Jared Polis and other Western state governors are requesting the Biden administration issue a FEMA disaster declaration for the drought issue plaguing the Western states.
California Farm Bureau Reports National Ag, Water Coalition Applauds Senate Passage of Infrastructure Bill
Aug 12 via Sierra Sun Times.
With nearly two-thirds of the West experiencing extreme or exceptional drought conditions, and more than 90 active wildfires burning across the U.S., a national coalition representing thousands of Western farmers, ranchers, water providers, businesses and communities underscored the significance of Senate passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on Tuesday and urged the House to mirror the water provisions in its own infrastructure package.
First Water Reduction in Western US Supply to Hammer Arizona Farmers
Aug 11 via Pennsylvania News Today.
A harvester rushes through the fields in the early morning light, cutting rows of corn and chopping ears, shells, and stems to root for feeding with local dairy products.
Lake Powell’s declining water levels affecting residents on the Western Slope
Aug 10 via Western Slope Now.
The Colorado River is flowing below normal. It has officials worried.
Andy Mueller, with Colorado River District, says, “bottom line, for every one degree the Fahrenheit rises in temperature, we are seeing streamflow in the Colorado River System be reduced somewhere between 3 to 8%.”
California Shuts Down Major Hydroelectric Plant Due to Low Water Levels at Lake Oroville
Aug 9 via WWD.
California shut down a major hydroelectric power plant at Lake Oroville due to water levels falling near the minimum necessary to generate power.
California Water Board Blocks Farmers from Diverting Water from Delta Watershed
Aug 5 via WWD.
Water users who continue to divert could face penalties of up to $1,000 per day and $2,500 per acre-foot of illegally diverted water.
Read more here.
How fire today will impact water tomorrow
Aug 4 via CU Boulder.
In 2020, Colorado battled the four largest wildfires in its history, leaving residents anxious for another intense wildfire season this year.
But last week, fires weren’t the issue—it was their aftermath. When heavy rains fell over the burn scar from the 2020 Cameron Peak fire, they triggered flash flooding and mudslides northwest of Fort Collins which destroyed homes, killed at least three people and damaged major roads. Flooding along the 2020 Grizzly Creek and East Troublesome burn scars also unleashed mudslides across Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon and in Grand County just west of Rocky Mountain National Park.
Read more here.
Wildfires Are A Threat To Steamboat Springs’ Water Supply. Here’s How The City Is Getting Ready
Aug 3 via Colorado Public Radio.
The popular ski town relies on Fish Creek for about 93 percent of its normal supply. The postcard Rocky Mountain stream starts as snowmelt before collecting into a narrow canyon, where hikers flock to watch it roar over a 280-foot waterfall.
Read more here.
Infrastructure provisions contain $8.3B in Western water aid
Aug 2 via Agri-Pulse.
The bipartisan infrastructure agreement that the Senate is preparing to debate includes $8.3 billion in Western water infrastructure funding sought by farm groups in the region that is suffering through an extended drought.
Read more about the western water crisis here.
Three-part webinar series offers expert advice on drought in the Western United States
July 29 via AWWA.
To help water utilities prepare for drought and mitigate its impacts, the American Water Works Association (AWWA) is offering a three-part webinar series entitled, “Western U.S. Drought: What You Need to Know.” The first webinar in the series is July 29.
Registration for the full three-part series is $180 for members and $285 for non-members. Individual webinars are $75 for members and $120 for non-members. Each of the 90-minute webinars begins at 11 a.m. MT.
What you need to know about how wildfires spread
July 28 via The Washington Post.
Wildfires depend on a combination of environmental conditions to start and spread. As global temperatures rise, research shows these conditions are appearing more intensely and frequently — escalating the risk of wildfires.
Possible future for Western wildfires: Decade-long burst, followed by gradual decline
July 27 via The University of Washington.
In recent years, wildfires on the West Coast have become larger and more damaging. A combination of almost a century of fire suppression and hotter and drier conditions has created a tinderbox ready to ignite, destroying homes and polluting the air over large areas.
How will the West solve a water crisis if climate change continues to get worse?
July 26 via ABC News.
The West has more hydrologic variability -- more flood years and drought years per average year -- than any other part of the country, Jay Lund, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California, Davis, and the head of the school's Center for Watershed Sciences told ABC News.
Motion Seeks More Enforcement Against Water Theft & Illegal Cannabis Grows in LA County, California
July 23 via WWD.
Illegal marijuana cultivation sites in the Antelope Valley are tied to water theft and an uptick in violence in the area.
Water ‘crisis’ discussed by Interior’s Haaland, Colorado officials at Denver roundtable
July 22 via Colorado Newsline.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s visit to Colorado began on Thursday at the headquarters of Denver Water, where she met with state and local leaders to discuss federal efforts to deal with the worsening drought conditions that have spread across much of the American West.
Opinion: The thirsty West’s dreaded water crisis is here
July 21 via Washington Post.
Everything came down to regular, dependable supply: who had it, who didn’t. All the Western miracles dangled on the question of water. Epics of engineering such as the Hoover Dam and the Los Angeles aqueducts. Vaulting visions such as modern Phoenix and Las Vegas. Miracles of agriculture such as the Central Valley of California.
Dusty snow is making the western drought worse
July 20 via National Geographic.
How to help relieve drought? Limit the growing amount of dust blowing from deserts to mountains, where it melts the snowpack and robs rivers of water.
Two Rods & a ‘Sixth Sense’: In Drought, Water Witches are Swamped
July 19 via The New York Times.
Amid California’s drought, desperate landowners and managers are turning to those who practice an ancient, disputed method for locating water.
At Shrinking Lake Mead, a New Coalition Says Status Quo on Colorado River is Failing
July 16 via AZCentral.
With the concrete towers of Hoover Dam in the background and the depleted waters of the nation’s largest reservoir below, an unlikely group of allies — conservation activists, businesspeople and officials representing cities and farming communities — on Thursday called for halting all plans that would take more water from the shrinking Colorado River.
Sierra Snowbank Short on Funds
July 15 via NASA Earth Observatory
According to state and federal scientists, melting in 2021 in the Sierra Nevada occurred three to four weeks earlier than usual. And that snowmelt did not go far. Parched by two years of drought, the soils between the mountains and the valleys soaked up vast quantities of water.
Read more about the western water crisis here.
Western Drought Reveals Cracks in Infrastructure
July 14 via American Farm Bureau Federation.
We are experiencing unusual drought condition across the country this year, but the West has been hit especially hard. The latest reports show that nearly 70% of the region (including the Dakotas) is in severe drought.
The West's Historic Drought in 3 Maps
July 13 via CNN.
An unprecedented, multi-year drought continues to worsen in the West amid a period of record heat and dryness, which scientists say is a clear sign of how the climate crisis is affecting not only the weather, but water supply, food production and electricity generation.
It’s Not Just Water Supply: Drought Harms Water Quality, Too
July 12 via Bloomberg.
A June heat wave sparked an earlier-than-expected algae bloom in the drought-ravaged drinking water reservoir in Price, Utah—a sign of climate change-related water quality challenges to come in the tinder-dry West.
Water Scarcity & Water Stress in US West Drought
July 9 via WWD.
Water scarcity and drought conditions are no stranger to the U.S. West, but the drought in 2021 has the greatest severity seen in a decade and the dry conditions have led to record high temperatures as far north as Seattle, Washington. With increased dry conditions are increased scares of wildfires, just one more thing to stress already stressed water resources. Tricia Anklan is director, energy and utilities for West Monroe, and shares her expertise and insights into the drought in California and the U.S. West.
Opinion: New Water Wars Are Coming to the American West
July 8 via Bloomberg.
Water has been generating conflicts and controversies in the U.S. for centuries, but the American West could be heading toward the most severe water shortages and skirmishes in the nation’s history.
The Shocking Numbers Behind the Lake Mead Drought Crisis
July 7 via CNN.
The United States' largest reservoir is draining rapidly. Plagued by extreme, climate change-fueled drought and increasing demand for water, Lake Mead on Wednesday registered its lowest level on record since the reservoir was filled in the 1930s.
Drought Conditions Force Utility to Use Colorado River for Drinking Water
July 6 via WWD.
The Ute Water Conservancy District, serving Grand Junction and Mesa County, Colorado, has for the first time begun to mix Colorado River water into its Grand Mesa reservoir releases.
According to The Colorado Sun, this action was taken to meet the water needs of 90,000 customers and preserve backup water supplies impacted by severe drought. Previously, drinking water has been drawn from runoff 11,000 feet high on Grand Mesa.
Water Crisis Reaches Boiling Point on Oregon-California Line
July 2 via AP News.
Ben DuVal knelt in a barren field near the California-Oregon border and scooped up a handful of parched soil as dust devils whirled around him and birds flitted between empty irrigation pipes.
Read more about the western water crisis here.
Farm Groups Seek $49 Billion for Western Water & Forests
July 1 via WWD.
More than 200 Western farm and water organizations are pushing for canal and reservoir repairs.
This includes proposing nearly $49 billion for projects improving water conveyance, dam safety and forest health, reported Western FarmPress.
The organizations crafted a June 9 letter to Chairman Joe Manchin and Ranking Member John Barrasso of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
California's Drought Leads to Cutbacks in Marin County But Not in San Diego
June 30 via LA Times
At the southern end of California, residents have been assured their water supplies are secure and plentiful despite the state’s severe drought.
In Marin County, 500 miles north, lawn sprinklers are allowed only two days a week, washing a car at home is banned, and decorative fountains can’t be refilled. The orders are part of an effort by the local water district to cut usage by 40% after a precipitous fall in the local reservoirs.
Opinion: Tress Are Dying of Thirst in This Heat & Drought
June 29 via Market Watch
Like humans, trees need water to survive on hot, dry days, and they can survive for only short times under extreme heat and dry conditions.
During prolonged droughts and extreme heat waves like the Western U.S. is experiencing, even native trees that are accustomed to the local climate can start to die.
Photos: The West's Historic Drought
June 29 via CNN
Much of the Western United States has been experiencing a historic and unrelenting drought, the worst in the region in at least 20 years.
The most severe drought is centered in the Southwest, in California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. But areas of extreme and exceptional drought extend into the Pacific Northwest as well.
The National Security Risks of the US Drought
June 26 via The Hill
Each new report about this year’s western drought reveals another record-breaking development: Hoover Dam’s Lake Mead is at its lowest level ever. More acres have already burned across California compared to this time last year. Extraordinary electricity demand is straining the Texas electric grid to its limit.
As a former member of the US intelligence community, I have no doubt that intelligence analysts in foreign capitals are watching the reports come in with one purpose in mind — analyzing the impact of these unprecedented developments on security in the United States.
