For the first time ever, federal water managers have declared a “Tier 2” shortage on the Colorado River. As a result, Arizona will lose 21% of its river water next year — a crushing blow to local farmers.
But the latest round of cuts are just the beginning of what could become a prolonged period of scarcity and conflict in the West.
Here & Now‘s Jane Clayson speaks with Sarah Porter, director of the Kyle Center for Water Management at Arizona State University.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.