Colorado River Crisis Threatens Millions of People and Economy
A new report highlights how the Colorado River's worst water year ever impacts 40 million people and threatens 16 million jobs and $1.4 trillion in annual GDP. The report, however, outlines existing solutions.
The "State of the Basin Report: A Guide to the Colorado River Crisis," released by the Thirst Foundation, warns that the Colorado River's most severe water year on record endangers 40 million people across seven U.S. states. The crisis also jeopardizes 16 million jobs and $1.4 trillion in annual economic output, impacting even power generation at Hoover Dam.
This comprehensive report synthesizes challenges and solutions for the water crisis, drawing on new hydrology data, recent research, and expert interviews. It details the river basin's ecological state, including growing salinity, and outlines key pressures such as water security, governance, technological growth, and climate adaptation.
The study identifies shared challenges for agriculture, cities, energy sectors, ecosystems, and tribal communities. It also pinpoints high-impact intervention areas crucial for enhancing the basin's long-term resilience. The report will inform upcoming summits in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Supporting the report is ultramarathon runner and Thirst Foundation CEO Mina Guli's "Keep the River Running" campaign. Guli is running 2,000 miles along the Colorado River to accelerate action on the water crisis. "I have seen the devastation caused by drying rivers, but I have also seen that there are ways to tackle this: we can become more water-aware, restore our wetlands, and upgrade our infrastructure – we just need the courage to act," Guli stated.