If The Colorado River Were A Bank Account, We Ran Out Of Cash More Than 20 Years Ago

In Colorado, when we look up at the rocky mountains, it’s difficult to imagine how much those snowy white peaks mean to the rest of the world. But for more than a hundred years, millions of people have relied on the water that flows into the Colorado River from the Rocky Mountain snowpack. Close to 40 million people use water from the Colorado River. In the winter, 90% of vegetables consumed in both the US and Canada are grown with Colorado River water.

In the last 20 years, tensions over increasingly scarce Colorado River water supplies have been rising in step with climate change and global temperatures.

KGNUs Alexis Kenyon spoke with Dr. Jack Schmidt the director of the Center of Colorado River Studies at Utah State University about what a shrinking Colorado River means for everyone and everything it sustains.

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If The Colorado River Were A Bank Account, We Ran Out Of Cash More Than 20 Years Ago Alexis Kenyon

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If The Colorado River Were A Bank Account, We Ran Out Of Cash More Than 20 Years Ago Alexis Kenyon

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Alexis Kenyon

Alexis Kenyon is an experienced radio reporter with more than 15 years of experience creating compelling, sound-rich radio stories for news outlets across the country. Kenyon has master's degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism in radio broadcast and photojournalism. She has worked in KGNU's news department since 2021 as a reporter, editor, and daily news producer. In all her work, she strives to produce thought-provoking, trustworthy journalism that makes other people's stories feel personal. In addition to audio production, Kenyon runs KGNU's news internship program and oversees the department's digital engagement.