More Need Than Ever for Drought Resilience on the Colorado River

The effects of climate change are already cutting deeply into the lifeblood of the U.S. West—the Colorado River.

2 minute read

April 27, 2021, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Colorado River

oceanfishing / Shutterstock

Ian James reports on the state of the Colorado River after more than two decades of scientists have decided is a "megadrought." The water level of Lake Mead has fallen 130 feet since 2000, and the reservoir is at 39 percent of capacity. The reservoir will soon have less water than any time since the Hoover Dam started filling the lake in the 1930s.

"The latest projections from the federal government show the reservoir will soon fall more feet to cross the trigger point for a shortage in 2022, forcing the largest mandatory water cutbacks yet in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico," reports James The lack of rainfall throughout the West and a meager snowpack in the Rocky Mountains could cause even more severe shortages and water supply cuts the next year, too, according to James.

James has more frightening details to share:

While the Southwest has always cycled through wet and dry periods, some scientists suggest the word "drought" is no longer entirely adequate and that the Colorado River watershed is undergoing “aridification” driven by human-caused warming — a long-term trend of more intense dry spells that’s here for good and will complicate water management for generations to come.

The article also includes coverage of the ongoing efforts to manage the Colorado River as it changes due to climate change, including the  Drought Contingency Plan (DCP), signed by seven states along the river in 2019. "Arizona and Nevada agreed to take the first cuts to help prop up Lake Mead, while California agreed to participate at lower shortage levels if the reservoir continues to drop," reports James. Arizona is in line for the largest cuts under the DCP.

The Biden administration also recently announced an interagency working group to support farmers, tribes, and other communities most impacted by water shortages.

Technology is also being deployed in the effort, reports James, including the use of artificial intelligence for scenario planning in the Colorado River Basin, led by Laura Condon, an assistant professor of hydrology and atmospheric sciences at the University of Arizona.

Friday, April 23, 2021 in Arizona Republic

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 2, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

White and purple sign for Slow Street in San Francisco, California with people crossing crosswalk.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths

Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

July 1, 2025 - KQED

Google street view image of strip mall in suburban Duncanville, Texas.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall

A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

July 6 - Parking Reform Network

Blue tarps covering tents set up by unhoused people along chain link fence on concrete sidewalk.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work

Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

July 6 - Next City

Aerial tram moving along cable in hilly area in Medellin, Colombia.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle

Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.

July 6 - InTransition Magazine