Report Shows Unanimous Support for Colorado River Conservation

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Mapping the River Ahead,” a new report by Carpe Diem West, provides an insightful discussion of solutions for the Colorado River Basin.  The authors conducted anonymous interviews with more than 30 “water leaders” (disclosure, I was among them) representing a broad range of sectors and locations.  The anonymous process was a useful strategy to get a realistic assessment of what people really think, freeing the interviewees from the obligation to take institutional positions.

Notwithstanding this year’s great snow in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the Colorado River Basin faces a challenging water future.  Through the drought that has persisted since 2000, the basin’s water users have gulped their way through half of the basin’s water storage, which amounts to a full two years of the river’s average supply.

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Jennifer Pitt, Environmental Defense Fund

National Geographic