The Colorado River is shrinking. What happens next?

RIGHT HERE IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD BECAUSE LAKE MEAD IS UNDER TWENTY-SEVEN PERCENT CAPACITY AND SITTING AT ITS LOWEST LEVEL IN ALMOST NINETY YEARS, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE THE OLD 1970 INTAKE PIPE THAT FEEDS WATER TO LAS VEGAS IS LITERALLY POKING OUT OF THE SURFACE NOW COMPLETELY USELESS, AND THE MINERAL BATHTUB RING ON THE CLIFFS IS A HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE FEET UP IN THE AIR! SO NOW VEGAS IS RELYING ON A ONE-POINT-THREE BILLION DOLLAR DEEP INTAKE PIPE THEY DUG TWO HUNDRED FEET LOWER, BUT THE THING IS LAKE POWELL IS ALSO AT HISTORIC LOWS AND THIS RIVER POWERS HYDRO DAMS AND SUPPLIES FORTY MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS SEVEN STATES PLUS FIVE MILLION ACRES OF FARMLAND, AND AFTER A TWENTY-SIX YEAR MEGADROUGHT THE COLORADO RIVER HAS ALREADY LOST TWENTY PERCENT OF ITS FLOW WITH RESERVOIR STORAGE DRIED DOWN TO 1960S LEVELS.

WAIT WAIT LET ME EXPLAIN IT PROPERLY BECAUSE THE COMBINED WATER STORAGE IN LAKE MEAD AND LAKE POWELL HAS DROPPED TO THE LOWEST POINT SINCE BEFORE THE 1960S, WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE REPORTERS RENTED A PONTOON BOAT IN A HUNDRED AND EIGHT DEGREE HEAT WITH A WATER AUTHORITY OFFICIAL JUST TO LOOK AT A MASSIVE 1970 INTAKE PIPE THAT IS NOW COMPLETELY EXPOSED ABOVE WATER, AND THE THING IS THE COLORADO RIVER HAS LOST TWENTY PERCENT OF ITS FLOW OVER A TWENTY-SIX YEAR MEGADROUGHT! SO NOW THIS ENTIRE SYSTEM THAT IRRIGATES FIVE MILLION ACRES OF FARMLAND AND SUPPLIES ELECTRICITY AND DRINKING WATER TO FORTY MILLION PEOPLE ACROSS SEVEN STATES IS CRITICALLY DEPLETED, AND ADVISERS ARE SAYING THE ENTIRE WEST HAS BEEN USING WAY MORE WATER THAN THE RIVER CAN RELIABLY PROVIDE.

A 26-year megadrought has caused Lake Mead and Lake Powell to drop to historic lows, threatening water and power supplies for over 40 million people across seven states.

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