Colorado River in Crisis is a series of stories, videos and podcasts in which Los Angeles Times journalists travel throughout the river’s watershed, from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the river’s dry delta in Mexico.
The Colorado River can no longer withstand the thirst of the arid West. Water drawn from the river flows to nearly 40 million people in cities from Denver to Los Angeles and irrigates more than 5 million acres of farmland. For decades, the river has been entirely used up, leaving dusty stretches of desert where it once flowed to the sea in Mexico.
A water reckoning is about to transform the landscape of the Southwest. Colorado River in Crisis is a series of stories, videos and podcasts in which Los Angeles Times journalists travel throughout the river's watershed, from the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains to the river’s dry delta in Mexico.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Not that Colorado: The muddy, winding story of how the Texas Colorado River got its nameMany people wonder whether the Colorado River that runs through Texas is related to the other Colorado River that created the Grand Canyon. It's not.
Read more »
Caitlin Ochs documents the Colorado River’s water shortage crisisThrough her photography and collaborative approach, the visual storyteller is illuminating the stark reality facing farmers and communities in the Western U.S.
Read more »
Study Finds Cattle-Feed Crops Consume Majority of Colorado River WaterA new study reveals that cattle-feed crops, particularly alfalfa, consume a significant portion of the water diverted from the Colorado River, exacerbating chronic water shortages. Agriculture accounts for 74% of the river's water usage, surpassing the combined usage of all the cities relying on the river.
Read more »
Analysis Reveals Colorado River Water Used More for Growing Crops than for DrinkingA new analysis has found that more Colorado River water is used to grow a single crop than for drinking water, business needs, and industrial uses combined across the seven-state river basin. The analysis highlights the significant usage of water for growing alfalfa, which is used to feed cattle. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of where the Colorado River water goes and includes estimates for water exported outside the basin, water use in Mexico, and water lost to evaporation.
Read more »
Damage found inside Glen Canyon Dam increases water risks on the Colorado RiverNewly discovered damage in Glen Canyon Dam would require releasing less water at low reservoir levels — a problem that increases water risks in the Southwest.
Read more »
Plumbing problem at Glen Canyon Dam threatens water supply of Colorado River systemPlumbing issues at Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back the second-largest reservoir in the U.S., are causing concerns about future water delivery to southwestern states.
Read more »