The states drawing water from the Colorado River's lower basin—California, Arizona, and Nevada—used less water from the river in 2019 than any year since the mid-1980s.
"Use of Colorado River water in the three states of the river’s lower basin fell to a 33-year low in 2019, amid growing awareness of the precarity of the region’s water supply in a drying and warming climate," reports Brett Walton.
"Arizona, California, and Nevada combined to consume just over 6.5 million acre-feet last year, according to an annual audit from the Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency that oversees the lower basin. That is about 1 million acre-feet less than the three states are entitled to use under a legal compact that divides the Colorado River’s waters."
The good water management news comes a few weeks after a report provided evidence of an ongoing megadrought in the American Southwest, likely to impact growth and livability in the large region as climate change deepens.
Congress approved the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan to resolve potential conflicts between states, but the ongoing thirst for Colorado River water is apparent in a plan to divert water from Lake Powell to St. George, Utah (Utah is one of the seven upper basin states, according to the 1922 Colorado River Compact).
FULL STORY: Remarkable Drop in Colorado River Water Use a Sign of Climate Adaptation
States Agree to Drastic Water Cuts From Colorado River
In the throes of a historic megadrought, three Southwestern states will make deep reductions in their water usage to preserve diminishing resources.
Utah Wants to Build Water Pipeline Amid Historic Shortages
As water supplies around the West dwindle, one Utah county is moving ahead with plans for a new Colorado River pipeline.
Nevada Bans the Use of Colorado River Water for Ornamental Grass
AB 356 could be "the most aggressive municipal water conservation measure that's been taken in the western United States."
The Unceremonious Death of a Freeway Expansion Project
The end of an Oregon freeway project didn't get much fanfare, but the victory is worth celebrating.
Converting Golf Courses to Housing Never as Easy as the Market Would Like
Thousands of golf courses have closed in recent years, but the obvious redevelopment opportunity represented by many defunct courses isn’t always easy to realize.
Houston To End Bike Share Program
Lacking the funding it needs to continue, Houston’s BCycle bike share system will end operations in the coming months.
Making Colorado’s Front Range Rail a Reality
Local leaders are scrambling to bring together the funding and political support to create new intercity rail service in the fast-growing region.
How College Campuses Fulfill an Urbanist Dream
Most college campuses in the United States are inherently walkable, mixing various uses with diverse housing options and transit networks.
Austin in Race Against Time to Secure Freeway Cap Funding
With a major freeway expansion project looming, the Texas capital is seeking federal funding to build several freeway ‘decks’ downtown.
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