A Breakthrough Deal to Keep the Colorado River From Going Dry, for Now
Last edited Mon May 22, 2023, 12:54 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: New York Times
Arizona, California and Nevada have agreed to take less water from the drought-strained Colorado River, a breakthrough agreement that, for now, keeps the river from falling so low that it would jeopardize water supply for major Western cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles as well as for some of Americas most productive farmland.
The agreement, announced Monday, calls for the federal government to pay about $1.2 billion to irrigation districts, cities and Native American tribes in the three states if they temporarily use less water. The states have also agreed to make additional cuts beyond that amount to generate the total reductions needed to protect the collapse of the river.
Taken together, those reductions would amount to about 13 percent of the total water use in the lower Colorado Basin among the most aggressive ever experienced in the region, and likely to require significant water restrictions for residential and agriculture uses.
The Colorado River supplies drinking water to 40 million Americans in seven states as well as part of Mexico and irrigates 5.5 million acres of farmland. The electricity generated by dams on the rivers two main reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, powers millions of homes and businesses. But drought, population growth and climate change have dropped the rivers flows by one-third in recent years compared with historical averages, threatening to provoke a water and power catastrophe across the West.
Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/22/climate/colorado-river-deal.html
No paywall (gift)
Article updated.
Original article/headline -
The Biden administration has negotiated a hard-fought agreement among California, Arizona and Nevada to take less water from the drought-strained Colorado River, a deal that reduces, for now, the risk of the river running dry below the Hoover Dam, which would jeopardize the water supply for Phoenix, Los Angeles and some of Americas most productive agricultural land.
The agreement, to be announced Monday, calls for the federal government to pay about $1.2 billion to irrigation districts, cities and Native American tribes in the three states if they temporarily use less water. The states have also agreed to make additional cuts beyond that amount to generate the total reductions needed to protect the collapse of the river.
Taken together, those reductions would amount to about 13 percent of the total water use in the lower Colorado Basin among the most aggressive ever experienced in the region, and likely to require significant water restrictions for residential and agriculture uses.
The Colorado River supplies drinking water to 40 million Americans in seven states as well as part of Mexico and irrigates 5.5 million acres of farmland. The electricity generated by dams on the rivers two main reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, powers millions of homes and businesses. But drought, population growth and climate change have dropped the rivers flows by one-third in recent years compared with historical averages, threatening to provoke a water and power catastrophe across the West.
Wild blueberry
(6,636 posts)for all the What-Me-Govern? RepuQs.
Thank you.
former9thward
(32,025 posts)The six other western states agreed in Jan. 2023. CA did not want to make any real cuts. The federal government forced CA to agree to the deal.
California, other states reach impasse over Colorado River
Despite a federal deadline today, California the largest user of Colorado River water has refused to cut back as much as six other states proposed in a new plan today. Imperial valley growers have the most to lose.
https://calmatters.org/environment/2023/01/california-colorado-river-water-2/
newdayneeded
(1,955 posts)the newly formed Tulare lake. Why can't California utilize that?
former9thward
(32,025 posts)I don't know if they want to use it all.
FakeNoose
(32,645 posts)It's time to give up some of that conspicuous consumption lifestyle, or move to the Mid-Atlantic region where we have plenty of water.
BumRushDaShow
(129,096 posts)is the ag use for crops like almonds, that need a prodigious amount of water, an issue in a state that is adjacent to and contains a desert (and desert areas), not even including the drought conditions.
The U.S. is the top exporter of almonds in the world.
https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/business/agriculture/article57638168.html
https://www.nationmaster.com/nmx/ranking/almonds-production
More: https://pacificnutproducer.com/2020/09/10/ca-almonds-global-shipments-trends/
And almonds are now a thing as a non-dairy/non-gluten alternative product with "almond milk" and "almond flour", etc.