Rising demand and falling supply have water managers in the arid West projecting that the Colorado River won't be able to meet the demands over the next 50 years of a population of 40 million people and growing. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Wednesday issued what he termed "a call to action" along with a 3-year study of the river, its flows and its ability to meet the future needs of city-dwellers, Native Americans, businesses, ranchers and farmers in seven Western states. The study found the population in the West could double, while today's drought-stricken Colorado River is expected to only recover about 85% of its historic flows. The report dismisses some proposals, such as towing icebergs from Alaska, as impractical. But Salazar says there is "no one solution" to the challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment