Dry conditions and high usage lead to concerns about Colorado River water levels

SOUTHERN UTAH, Utah (ABC4) — A Utah State University team says that the Colorado River is experiencing low water levels and may be headed for a crisis.

Utah State University’s Colorado River Studies team released a new report that shows that water storage levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead is significantly reduced. Reportedly, water levels are near the same levels seen during 2020-2022, which have been designated as crisis years.

The Colorado River is an essential water source for approximately 40 million people across the Western United States. Additionally, about 55% of the river’ consumption goes to growing livestock feed, according to the Utah State University (USU) Colorado River Studies Team

Jack Schmidt, the Utah State University (USU) Director of Colorado River Studies, says, “The amount of storage in the reservoirs of the basin is now comparable to the conditions in the period of 2020 to 2022, when we describe the situation as an unprecedented crisis.”

Reportedly, water demand is outpacing the supply, and the problem has been exacerbated by dry conditions. If the next winter season is dry, the situation could deteriorate further.

“We would be in a very difficult situation next summer,” Schmidt said, “And that means every citizen everywhere in Utah and everywhere else in the basin will need to conserve water even beyond what we’re doing already.”

Gene Shawcroft, the Colorado River Commissioner for Utah, also expressed his concern for the dry conditions, though he says the situation isn’t a full-blown crisis.

Shawcroft said, ““Are we concerned? Absolutely. Is it a crisis today? No. Could it be a crisis in the future? Absolutely. We can’t continue to do what we’ve done in the past. And we are taking steps.”

He emphasized the importance of making conservation part of daily life. He said, “The fact that we go out of our tap and turn it on is something that the majority of us don’t even think about. And we just need to be as cautious as we can and use our water as wisely as we can.”

Schmidt added that USU’s team is calling for water cuts across all seven basin states that draw from the Colorado river, saying that voluntary conservation alone won’t be enough.

“Our group advocates that every one of the seven basin states and its citizens needs to take enforceable cuts, not voluntary cuts, to deal with the present crisis.” Schmidt added.