Severe droughts are resulting in rapidly shrinking freshwater reservoirs in some areas, especially in the Southwestern United States. Here are 10 interesting articles discussing the declining freshwater reservoirs.
California drought continues to take heavy toll on reservoirs LA Times
-California’s three largest reservoirs (Trinity Lake, Lake Oroville, and Lake Shasta) are at roughly 30% capacity and close to 1977 record lows.
11 Million Water Conservation Plan Fails to Address Groundwater Loss Epoch Times
-The groundwater lost from the Colorado River Basin from December 2004 to November 2013 could fill 20 million Olympic sized swimming pools or almost two Lake Meads.
Colorado River groundwater disappearing at “shocking” rate CBS News
-“Between December 2004 and November 2013, more than 75 percent of the water lost in the Colorado River Basin was from groundwater.”
Colorado River Drought Forces a Painful Reckoning for States New York Times
-Lake Mead is a crucial source of water for cities from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and millions of acres of farmland.
-If Lake Mead’s elevation dips below 1,000 feet above sea level, the Southern Nevada Water Authority loses the ability to serve the municipal needs of 7 in 10 people in Nevada.
5 reasons to panic about Arizona’s water, and 5 reasons not to The Arizona Republic
-Roosevelt, The largest reservoir in Arizona is just 39 percent full and the six reservoirs on the Salt and Verde are at 49 percent capacity and shrinking.
The Colorado River Runs Dry Smithsonian
-“Water resource officials say some of the reservoirs fed by the river will never be full again.”
West’s historic drought stokes fears of water crisis Washington Post
-Wells in California have dried up while one state-owned well near Sacramento had a 100-foot drop in three months.
-Aquifers are being used up at rates that scientists say are historic and unsustainable.
The American Nile National Geographic
-Crops consume about 70 percent of the Colorado River Basin’s water.
-The Gila, the second largest tributary, is mostly bone dry in its lower reaches through Arizona.
US official airs ‘myths’ on Colorado River water The Washington Times
-The combined water storage in dams on the Colorado River has decreased from 60 million acre-feet to 30.4 million acre-feet since 2000.
63 trillion gallons of groundwater lost in drought, study finds LA Times
-Researchers estimate 63 trillion gallons of groundwater has been lost since 2013, the equivalent to flooding four inches of water across the United States west of the Rocky Mountains.