Colorado River Reckoning: Drought, Climate and Equal Access

Climate One

Social Sciences, Science, News, News Commentary, Earth Sciences

4.7 • 585 Ratings

🗓️ 11 June 2021

⏱️ 54 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across seven states. Lake Mead has fallen to its lowest level since it was filled in the 1930s, which could trigger the first stage of real water cutbacks. For years, “much of the discussion in the Colorado River Basin has been who gets the next drop,” says journalist Luke Runyon. “The conversation very recently has shifted to who has to use less.” In the midst of long-term drought, warming temperatures and decreasing runoff, water managers are gearing up for the next round of negotiations to divvy up the Colorado River’s supply in the future. Tribal water users are hoping to have a bigger say in those basin-wide negotiations, and to finally correct an historic injustice by ensuring universal access to clean water for tribes. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work. Go to climateone.org/donate to help us reach our goal of $10,000 by July 1. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Adobe Acrobat Studio so brand new.
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0:24.1	do that with the all new acrobat it's time to do your best work with your new adobe acrobat studio
0:30.9	this is climate one i'm gregg dalton water from the colorado river lifeblood of seven western states
0:36.9	is getting tighter as the climate warms.
0:39.3	There's a big gap between how the system was built into place and perhaps where we want to go for our future.
0:49.3	Levels at the river's largest reservoir are falling to historic lows.
0:53.3	It's sending a message to the whole
0:56.6	basin saying we don't have enough water to meet all of the needs that exist within the basin.
1:03.2	This comes at a time when states and tribes are renegotiating how to share the water and ensure
1:08.3	everyone has access. Climate change is not new. We've known about it since the 1970s. We've seen the water and ensure everyone has access. Climate change is not new.
1:11.6	We've known about it since the 1970s.
1:13.5	We've seen the effects and tribes are on the front line of it.
1:16.5	That cannot prevent the federal government to living up to the responsibility of getting
1:21.2	clean drinking water to all homes in Indian country.
1:24.5	A Colorado River reckoning.
1:26.5	Climate ones empowering conversations connect all aspects of the climate emergency.
1:31.3	I'm Greg Dalton.
1:33.3	The Colorado River hydrates more than 40 million people and 5 million acres of farmland
1:39.3	from Wyoming to the U.S.-Mexico border, but it's not equally divided.
1:44.3	And as our climate gets hotter and drier, water managers worry there simply may no longer
1:49.2	be enough to go around.
	...

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