You may have heard this before: The Colorado River, which supplies drinking water to seven states in the US and two in Mexico, is the lifeblood of the American West and beyond. It’s drying up at an alarming rate, threatening cities, industries, agriculture, and energy sources. As it shrinks, rich ecosystems across its 1,450 miles are also disappearing.
The 100-year-old mistake that’s reshaping the American West
What happens if the Colorado River keeps drying up?
Wyatt Hersey for Vox
In this issue of The Highlight, Vox’s reporters across the science, health, climate, and Future Perfect teams explore the interconnected causes of this crisis, the startling consequences that are already reshaping life in this important region of the world, and the difficult trade-offs we may need to accept to avert disaster.
Wyatt Hersey for Vox
One in eight Americans depend on a river that’s disappearing.
By Umair Irfan
Benji Jones/Vox
A huge amount of US food is grown in the desert using water from a river that’s drying up.
By Benji Jones
Wyatt Hersey for Vox
The Colorado River is going dry ... to feed cows.
By Kenny Torrella
Millie von Platen for Vox
How extreme weather is driving a deadly fungus further into the American West
By Keren Landman
Millie von Platen for Vox
Wildlife needs water, too.
By Benji Jones
CREDITS
Editors: Sam Oltman, Brian Resnick, Adam Clark Estes, Bryan Walsh
Copy editors/fact-checkers: Elizabeth Crane, Kim Eggleston, Tanya Pai, Caitlin PenzeyMoog
Additional fact-checking: Anouck Dussaud, Sophie Hurwitz
Art direction: Dion Lee, Paige Vickers
Audience: Gabriela Fernandez, Shira Tarlo, Agnes Mazur
Production/project editors: Lauren Katz, Nathan Hall
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