This is a massively important story.

GaryRLundberg

This is a massively important story. Follow it closely. Whatever the outcome, huge constrictions will be inflicted on water for BOTH residents AND food supply for all Americans. 70% of the water is for agriculture. It’s BOTH climate catastrophe AND consumption.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/colorado-river-crucial-deadline

Led By Gilded Fools

@GaryRLundberg Coming Soon: Water Cartels, ala "The Water Knife"

Timo

@GaryRLundberg When the water stops, turn out the lights. (Apologies to The Doors)

GaryRLundberg

@MHowell

Yep. Thanks

I remember, decades ago, realizing that water wars would very likely be a real thing we’d face in this lifetime.

Also, if/when the Trump regime gets involved in determining an outcome, it’ll become immensely worse. Trump pathologically does that, make everything worse for just about everyone else as he skims, scams, and defrauds. Will he realize, or admit, water is more important than oil? I doubt it.

Annelies Kamran, Ph.D.

@GaryRLundberg no mention of it in the article but isn't Mexico also a dependent of the Colorado River? So it's also an international issue?

Lightfighter

@GaryRLundberg With drought we are in here in Colorado, not sure how much there will be to argue about.

GaryRLundberg

@timo21

Seems to me they/we do face the choice of large human populations versus food production in some areas of the would.

Growing regions will very likely shift dramatically as climate change continues unabated.

feld

@akamran @GaryRLundberg Mexico only gets the water from it we allow them to have.

edit: we just bully them for their water usage essentially, we don't completely control the flow AIUI

GaryRLundberg

@feld @akamran

Yep. Also, in documentaries I’ve seen it’s mostly reduced to a wetlands trickle by consumption in the USA South West already.

Also, Trump did deny them early in 2025.

GaryRLundberg

@Lightfighter

Yeah. We have family in Santa Fe, NM. It’s seems that’s the choice everyone is facing. Water for residents, or cutting-off/reducing food production. Especially, in California.

So, “affordability” and inflation of food will sure skyrocket. Plus, all the suffering for families and increased wildfire risk.

I wonder how soon Americans will be forced to migrate states to state for better opportunities/protection?

Timo

@GaryRLundberg I bet climate change will cause the Industrial food machine that kept everyone fed the last 90 years to be run by an oligarch. Who knows how that will be. Getting rid of U.S. Aid was possibly the first step to that consolidation. California can put in desalination plants for our food supply. That should be a priority. AZ is just screwed, tricked by the CAP. Also, when the Himalayan glaciers are gone, the shite is going to hit the fan. 2B people depend on those glaciers.

Duke

@GaryRLundberg Sadly, living in southern Nevada, I'm far too familiar with all of this.

Timo

@GaryRLundberg @Lightfighter NM doesn't get much water from the Colorado watershed. That might be a saving grace here. We are already used to limited water here.