Drying Up: The Colorado River's Crisis and Our Water Future The Colorado River, a vital resource for 40 million people across the West, has reached record lows in snowpack.
This winter's meager offerings have sent reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell careening toward critically low levels, prompting federal officials to release billions of gallons into the system.
Arizona, California, and Nevada are scrambling to conserve water, but experts warn that without a broader agreement among states, mandatory cuts could deepen, threatening farming, hydropower, and urban water supplies.