The 'American Nile' is in Danger of Water Shortage: Grand Canyon at Risk

The Colorado River has been flowing for six million years, carving out the Grand Canyon and providing water supply for nearly the entire Southwest. Now, environmentalists argue that agriculture, population growth, and climate change all have detrimental effects on the historic body of water.

Farming was the first issue that began dwindling the river's resources. When more settlers came to the West there was a demand for agriculture. Soon enough, irrigation ditches and canals were built and farmers began to plant wheat and hay. Cotton and citrus fruit cultivation followed, and all of these crops now consume about 70% of the Colorado River Basin's water.

But it's not just the crops that contribute to the water consumption. Irrigation of lawns and golf courses as well as water supply for swimming pools, reservoirs and thirsty cities consume the river's water. It provides 36 million Americans with water. This may not seem immediately detrimental to the water supply, but it is over time. The river basin's drainage covers a percentage of the United States that's nearly identical to the percentage of Africa drained by the Nile River.

Aside from the dwindling water supply, restoration projects are underway to help save endangered fish in the basin's waters. The pike minnow, the humpback chub, the bonytail chub and the razorback sucker have all been affected by the silt- and migration-blocking dams. The cold waters of the reservoirs are released into the rivers and affect the habitats of these fish. And although these fish have no commercial value, they contribute to the scenic and ancient history of the Colorado River, which will be eradicated if such actions continue.

Population growth is also not helping this cause. The river supplies water to the greater Las Vegas area as well as Phoenix; populations that have increased from 2,000 and 5,500 in 1920 to 2 million and 1.5 million today, repectively. Scientists have also predicted that the regions that the river supplies will get hotter and drier. The Bureau of Reclamation predicted that the Colorado River's flows will decline by 8.7% by the year 2060.

Although it is not a well-known issue, the Colorado River shortages provide for a relatively immediate cause for concern. Some of the regions in the Southwest that rely on fresh water may not be able to receive a plentiful source from the river in the decades to come. With population growth and climate issues at the forefront of the political discourse, the Colorado River will hopefully become a more widespread cause for concern.

To read more about the Colorado River, visit this National Geographic article.