It comes as climate change means less snowpack flows into the river and its tributaries, and hotter temperatures parch soil and cause more river water to evaporate as it streams through the drought-plagued American West. That’s the level that prompts a shortage declaration under agreements negotiated by seven states that rely on Colorado River water: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Federal officials regularly issue long-term projections but use those released each August to make decisions about how to allocate river water. Colby Pellegrino, director of water resources for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, reassured customers that those preparation measures would insulate them from the effects of cuts. “It is incumbent upon all users of the Colorado River to find ways to conserve,” Pellegrino said in a statement.

Source: Huffington Post April 18, 2021 01:07 UTC