he Colorado River is one of the most heavily relied upon water supply sources in the world, serving 35 million people in seven states and Mexico. The river provides water to large cities, irrigates fields, powers turbines to generate electricity, thrills recreational enthusiasts and serves as a home for birds, fish and wildlife. Now, a new report by the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) pro- duced in cooperation with the seven Colorado River Basin states and a host of interested parties is casting a cau- tionary outlook for the water supply picture for the next half-century, with a supply-demand imbalance that will require new degrees of innovation and cooperation by the multitude of people that depend on the river. The Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study projects a range of future water supply and demand imbalances. Comparing the median water supply projections to the median water demand projections, the future water supply and demand imbalance is projected to be about 3.2 million acre-feet of water by 2060. The number grows to as much as 7.7 million acre-feet when comparing the water supply projections based on the greatest water demand projections. “The Study is the most com- prehensive Basin-wide analysis ever undertaken by Interior,” said Anne Castle, assistant secretary for water and science for the Department of the Interior (Interior). Interior recognized the Study in October with a “Partners in Conservation” award. “Conducted in collaboration with stakeholders throughout the Basin, including feder- ally recognized tribes, agricultural users, purveyors of municipal and industrial water, power users, and environmen- tal and recreational groups, the Study will serve as the basis for planning for future growth and climate change in the Colorado River Basin and as an example of watershed collaboration for decades to come.”
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Carly Jerla, water resource engineer with Reclamation and co-manager