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Colorado River Basin

All articles tagged with #colorado river basin

environment-energy16 days ago•12 min saved

Snow drought reveals West's hidden water and wildfire risks

The 2026 Western snow drought left most basins well below the 1991–2020 median snow water equivalent as unusually warm temperatures turned precipitation into rain, threatening spring runoff, water allocations, and hydroelectric power (notably Lake Powell). The drought also heightens wildfire risk and raises questions about subsurface water stores and future management across the Colorado, Columbia, and Missouri basins in a warming climate.

via The Conversation|

#climate-change #colorado-river-basin #environment-energy

environment20 days ago•7 min saved

West Faces Water Shortages and Wildfire Risk Amid Historic Snow Drought

A historic snow drought across the U.S. West is not only shrinking snowpack but threatening spring and summer water supplies for millions, risking shortages in reservoirs like Lake Powell and Mead and potentially extending wildfire season as warmer, drier conditions accelerate snowmelt; the situation is driven by climate-change–linked warming and could affect the Colorado River Basin and Western states into the year.

via CBS News|

#climate-change #colorado-river-basin #environment

environment3 years ago•3 min saved

"Western US Lakes Experience Significant Changes in Water Levels and Restoration Efforts"

Federal officials predict that Lake Powell's water levels could rise by 50 to 90 feet this spring and summer, with the most probable scenario being a 65-foot increase by June. The increase comes as the National Weather Service's Colorado Basin River Forecast Center projects that 1.3 million acre-feet worth of water will flow toward Lake Powell over the next few months. The lake would remain about 110 to 126.5 feet below full-pool status in the probable scenario, but it would also place the reservoir between 80 and 100 feet above the minimum pool level needed to generate power. The Bureau of Reclamation also approved a four-day controlled release from the Glen Canyon Dam to move sediment in the Paria River onto the beaches and sandbars in Marble Canyon and the eastern Grand Canyon.

via Deseret News|

#colorado-river-basin #drought #environment