Report to Congress Projects Water Shortages in West

By Jim Holtkamp

A report released April 25 by the U.S. Department of the Interior projects significant water shortages in western U.S. water basins due to climate change. The report, “SECURE Water Act Section 9503(c)—Reclamation Climate Change and Water 2011,” was submitted pursuant to the SECURE Water Act of 2009. The report projects that the Columbia and Missouri River basins will become wetter during the 21st century, while the San Joaquin, Truckee and Rio Grande and Middle to Lower Colorado River Basins will become drier, with reductions in stream Flows of 8 to 12 percent. The upper Colorado, Klamath and Sacramento Basins have roughly equal chances of becoming wetter or drier.