Essay --

Jeff Leone The Colorado River â€Å"Don’t waste that water! Kids in Africa don’t even have water to drink!† Almost every American has heard this saying before. We have heard this because there are water shortages in third world countries like Africa, as seen in the movie â€Å"Blue Gold†. But why have we developed this notion that there are only water shortages in third world countries? When in reality, there is a shortage of water right here in our home country. The Colorado River’s water is high in demand as it serves millions of people, powers industries, and is home to all different kinds of wildlife. The Colorado River will not be able to keep up with the increasing demand of water and soon enough the river will go dry. Organizations like the Colorado River Water Users Association are trying to change the way that the water is used and adjust how it is managed. The Colorado River is drying up and the western states are running out of water, however, public policy is trying to regulate and preserve the Colorado River to make it more sustainable in the future. The Colorado River, which has so many uses and serves so many, is running out of water. The river delivers water and power to nearly 30 million people who live in the basin states. (River Uses) That includes people who live in Colorado, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, California, Wyoming and Mexico. In addition, the river is crucial to the economy because â€Å"throughout the seven basin states, the Colorado River provides water for people and for business and industry - creating jobs for millions, jobs that contribute to local economies and billions of dollars to the nation.† (River Uses) The river is also important as it provides irrigation to about 1.4 million acres of land for fa... ...ld 17.5 million acre-feet (5.7 trillion gallons) of water. However†¦ The river now averages about 14.7 million acre-feet per year† (National geographic) In addition, the water level of the rivers two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have dropped over the past couple of years. (National Geographic) One of the biggest signs that the river is struggling is that it discharges little to no water to the sea for months at a time. (National Geographic) The Colorado River is on a path that will take it to its end. The river is running out of water and cannot keep up with the high demand. New technology and growing industries require more water and more power. Organizations are attempting to solve the problem through public policy but the task may prove too large. Humans have changed the coarse of nature and it is up to us to come together and fight for change.