This is a map of the Colorado river, one of the largest rivers in the United states. Starting
off in the rocky mountains of Colorado, the river flows for more than 1 thousand 400 miles
through the colorado plateau and into lake mead. WHile the river has historically provided
water to tens of millions of people, today the colorado river is reaching record low
water levels, threatening the water supply at both lake mead and lake powell. But the
real reason behind this decline is much more complex than many would first believe and
is the result of many large scale infrastructure projects.
The primary use of the water in the Colorado river is for the agriculture industry in the
southwestern part of america. Rouyghly 70% of the river’s water goes towards this industry.
Additionally, 7 different states also rely on the river for a portion of their water
supply systems. These states being Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, California,
and Nevada. In all, the river supports more than 40 million people throughout this entire
region. Colorado is divided into 2 basins, with the upper basin including states such
as Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming, while the lower basin includes Arizona, California,
and Nevada. Ultimately, the states were divided into 2 separate basins to allocate rights
to use the water from the colorado river. Each basin is allocated 7.5 million acre feet
of water each year from the colorado river. From there, the water is distributed to the
individual states based on their populations and other key factors. These statistics show
how many acre feet of water each of the basin states receive each year. As we can see, states
such as California are receiving more than 4 million acre feet of water per year, in
correspondence with their large population. Additionally, Mexico is receiving 1.5 million
acre feet of water per year from the basin as part of the colorado river compact agreement.
We also have to account for the long term droughts in the southwest over the past few
years, Which have resulted in the river not replenishing as much as it normally does at
different times throughout the year. This has then caused the water levels to drop at
both Lake Mead and Lake Powell throughout the past 2 decades.
For one, there are a total of 15 dams along the colorado river, more than any other river
across the united states. Two of the most notable being the hoover dam and the glen
canyon dam. All 15 of these dams have created a number of reservoirs all throughout the
river, which supply water to cities and towns nearby. Most of these reservoirs are currently
extremely in an extremely dire condition as a result of the ongoing drought. Lake Mead
stands at just 28% of its total capacity and lake Powell stands at just 25%. These extreme
figures once again relate back to the state of the colorado river and its decline. While
all of this is playing a role in the decreasing water levels in the river, one of the key
causes is the large-scale water transport projects that have been built throughout this
region.
The Central Arizona Project is a system of canals that brings water from the Colorado
River to central and southern Arizona. The project includes a series of dams and reservoirs
that store water for irrigation and other uses. The project was authorized by the U.S.
Congress in 1968 and was completed in 1993. The canal starts off south of lake mead and
the hoover dam. The water is then piped underground and is diverted from the river into a series
of canals that run through the desert to the central and southern parts of Arizona. The
canals are lined with concrete interiors and have a system of gates and valves that regulate
the flow of water. The canals are gravity-fed and water flows downhill through the system.
The project includes a series of pumping stations that help to move water uphill and into the
pipelines that carry water to more than 4 million people in central and southern arizona.
In all, the central arizona project receives nearly 1.5 million acre feet of water per
year from the colorado river.
While the system was designed to prevent water shortages throughout this region, first water
shortages of this project were announced earlier this year. The US bureau of reclamation announced
that as a result of the colorado river’s current water level, the Central arizona project
will see its first water cuts sometime this year. And as the conditions in the colorado
river worsen, these cuts could be announced anytime in the near future. As 74% of Arizona’s
water goes towards the agriculture industry, many experts have predicted that landowners
throughout the state will be forced to put land out of production, as a result of having
less water to use for crops. While Arizona’s water supply system is playing a part in the
colorado river’s declining water levels, there is another important cause of the colorado
river’s rapid decline.
Starting off at the Parker Dam in Arizona, the Colorado River aqueduct stretches for
nearly 250 miles down towards Los angeles. At that point, it reaches Lake Mathews which
is a holding reservoir, until the water district distributes the water throughout the state.
In all, the colorado river aqueduct supplies water to more 19 million residents across
the state of california, proving that it is one of the most necessary water suppliers
for the entire state. The entire aqueduct annual output is more than 1.2 million acre
feet, which is close to ¼ of all the water california receives per year as part of the
colorado river compact agreement.
As we can see, the Colorado river is proving water to more than just the regional states
in the southwest. The 2 main aqueducts that the river supplies are one of the causes of
the river’s rapid decline. As of producing this video, the US bureau of reclamation announced
that the colorado river had fallen into a tier 2 shortage, with even more water cuts
being planned. But all of this raises the question, can the decline of the colorado
river actually be reversed, and how will it impact the states in this region of the united
states.
With a goal of proving the colorado river with influx of water supplies, 500,00 acre
feet of water will be released from the flaming gorge reservoir into lake powell. This is
in addition to the 161,000 acre feet of water that was released just last year. Additionally,
a plan has been outlined for the basin states to cut an extreme amount of water by early
next year. All 7 states will be required to operate in a tier 2 shortage condition starting
in January of 2023. This includes cutting between 2 and 4 million acre feet of water
usage by next year. This would allow the colorado river to stabilize itself without reaching
deadpool status. All 7 basin states have until the end of this month to determine how they
will cut back on their water usage from the river.
The Colorado river is facing many different problems, all stemming from just how many
states are using the river’s water. While the water cuts that were put in place may
help replenish the river’s water supplies, we have to see the full effect of this initiative,
as most of the cuts go into effect early next year.
As of right now, there has been disagreement between the basin states regarding how much
water they will cut from their yearly usage. Therefore, only time will tell what the future
of the colorado river really turns out to be. While the Colorado River is one of the
most important suppliers of water in the southwest, Lake Mead’s water supply is reaching record
low water levels, threatening the water supply at the Hoover dam. To learn more about the
ongoing crisis, be sure to click the video here. Thank you for watching and consider
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