Talk about an interesting unintended consequence of the drought – in Wildhorse and Willow Creek Reservoirs in Elko County, Nevada, the Department of Wildlife has lifted all fish catch limits. The Department of Wildlife is concerned that as the water levels in these reservoirs fall, oxygen levels will decrease further causing a massive fish kill during the summer. This summer will be the second year in a row that Nevada lifted fishing limits due to drought, and the drought in Nevada is in its third year. Nevada relies on rainfall to support everything from tourism and construction in Las Vegas to agriculture in the more rural areas of the state. However, for the last three years, Mother Nature has been uncooperative. In this piece, I will review some of the challenges that Nevada faces as well as the steps the state can take to address the long-term challenge of water shortage. Continue reading
Category Archives: Colorado River Basin
Arizona’s Long-Term Water Future
In my last Post, I wrote about how a part of California’s water future is inextricably linked to the health of the Colorado River’s water supply. As I mentioned, the Colorado River currently is enjoying the benefits of a slightly above average snowpack in the mountains that feed the River. Further, the Colorado River has two of the largest reservoirs in the West in Lake Powell and Lake Mead. These two reservoirs help to stabilize the water reserves for the states that rely on the River’s bounty and aid in planning for future drought years. But lately, both scientists and policymakers have grown increasingly concerned that we will not be able to rely on the Colorado to supply as much water in the future. One state that these decreased water supplies could affect critically is Arizona. In this piece, I will discuss the challenges that Arizona faces from dwindling Colorado River supplies, and highlight the steps that the state is taking to address these long-term supply challenges. Continue reading
A Tale of Two California Water Supplies: The State Water Project vs. the Colorado River
In Rod Smith’s post on April 2nd, he predicts that the final 2014 allocation from the State Water Project will be 23%, with “a reasonable chance that the final SWP allocation will be zero.” Although the rains in February were kind to California’s most-parched areas, the major storm did not help much towards reversing the severe drought conditions that the Central Valley farming areas face. However, in the Southeastern portion of the state along the Colorado River, the water crisis seems much less dire. For now, the Colorado River has given Arizona and the portions of California that have access to it water supplies without interruption – a marked contrast to the areas of California that rely on the State Water Project. But why is this the case, and for how long can the Colorado supply water reliably? In this piece, I will address both of these issues. Continue reading
Colorado River Supply Issues: A Glimpse of Things to Come in the Long-Term?
Last week, Rod Smith wrote about the changing elevations of both Lake Powell and Lake Mead. You can view his piece here. In his post, he delved into the mystery of why the elevation of both lakes is not as tightly correlated in the last ten or so years as they were in the past. It is an interesting issue-, and I am looking forward to an answer as to why. What is not nearly as much of a mystery, however, is the fact that the Colorado River Basin is providing less and less water to more and more end users. In this piece, I would like to explore the implications of the decrease in water supplies across the entire Colorado River Basin, and the potential long-term implications this change has on the cities, agriculture and citizens in the Western United States that closely rely on the river’s water. Continue reading