Colorado River Water Demand Rises

San Juan River, Tributary of the Colorado

Albuquerque Journal - With population growth pushing up Colorado River Basin water demand as climate change pushes down supply, New Mexico and the other states that depend on the river face a growing gap between how much water nature provides and how much humans want to use. New Mexico’s population that uses the river’s water, currently nearly 1.5 million people, is expected to grow to between 2 million and 3 million by 2060, according to the latest data from a U.S. Bureau of Reclamation study. The San Juan River, a tributary of the Colorado, provides water in northwest New Mexico. In addition, the Bureau moves water through a tunnel beneath the continental divide, providing Colorado Basin water for Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and other residents of the Rio Grande Basin. “It’s an important part of our water supply,” said David Jordan, a hydrologist with the Albuquerque office of INTERA, a water resources consulting firm. Across the western United States, nearly 40 million people live in the region that gets its water from the Colorado. By 2060, that is likely to rise to between 50 million and 75 million, according to the bureau study. Read More News New Mexico

Colorado River Water Demand Rises