PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The Colorado River crisis is threatening the water supply of 40 million people and the electricity that powers cities across the Southwest, including Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Diego.
With seven Colorado River Basin states unable to agree on how to divide the river’s water, the federal Bureau of Reclamation is expected to step in and decide for them.
Lake Powell nears critical threshold
Lake Powell is now just 33 feet from the level at which it can no longer generate electricity. Years of drought have already cut hydropower production from the Colorado River system by roughly half as lakes Mead and Powell continue to shrink.
“It’s a serious situation,” said Sarah Porter, director of ASU’s Kyl Center for Water Policy. “Water from the Colorado River is around 30% of the supply for cities in the greater Phoenix area.”
Hydropower impact on rural communities and tribes
The Colorado River system can generate enough electricity to power millions of homes. Porter said the hydropower produced at Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam is relied upon primarily by rural communities and tribes…