Another Major US River Running Dry Leaving Millions Facing Water Crisis
Summary
The Rio Grande River, which flows from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico and serves about 15 million people, is facing a severe water shortage due to overuse and long droughts. The flow of the river has dropped dramatically, causing parts of it to dry up and reservoirs to reach record low levels, raising concerns about future water supply in states like New Mexico and Texas.Key Facts
- The Rio Grande is about 1,900 miles long and supplies water to both U.S. and Mexican states, including Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas.
- The river has lost about 85% of its historic water flow because of drought and overuse.
- Around 15 million people depend on the Rio Grande for drinking water.
- In New Mexico, river flows this year were only about 31% of the usual median, with August flows at about 14%.
- Elephant Butte Reservoir was at less than 1.5% capacity on August 31, the lowest ever recorded for that date.
- Texas expects its water supply to decrease by 10% between 2030 and 2080, with potential shortages growing to 5.8 million acre-feet per year by 2080 if drought continues.
- The water shortage is linked to climate change, with hotter temperatures and less rainfall making droughts worse.
- New Mexico officials are working with other states and groups to find solutions to protect the river’s water supply.
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