News from IFGR and the rivers of the world

In its newsletter last June, IFGR mentioned the possibility that the western States of America would resort to cutting off water supplies as early as the end of 2022 due to a mega-drought hitting the Colorado River. Since then, the situation has worsened rapidly: Lake Powell, the USA’s second largest reservoir, has reached its lowest […]

Hard hit by drought the Colorado river is at the centre of concern in southwestern America, since it is vital for seven states. On 25 May, the level of Lake Mead – the largest American reservoir – fell to 44 metres below its usual height, and there is no sign of it rising. The latest forecasts issued by the federal government are critical, as they predict a threshold of shortage in 2022 and that severe restrictions on water use will be necessary in Arizona, Nevada and Mexico.

The takeover of a dam by Mexican farmers protesting against their country’s water debt to the United States, demonstrates the increased tension over water in the context of resource depletion. A revealing conflict Last October, farmers took control of the dam of Boquilla, located on the river Conchos, a large tributary of the Rio Grande. […]

A river that no longer reaches the sea: this is already frequently the case of the Colorado, which flows into the Gulf of California. And every additional degree will exacerbate the drought affecting this huge river, 2,330 km in length, that supplies water to seven American states. A study published in the journal  Science in mid-February revealed […]

The Verde River, which joins the Salt River at Phoenix, is a unique and important resource in Arizona (USA). In this State affected by drought, the Verde, which flows throughout the year, is precious, whether for biodiversity (it feeds one of the last of the country’s willow and poplar forests), leisure or the health of […]

From the Rocky Mountains to its delta in Mexico, the Colorado River flows for more than 2,300 km and crosses seven states. It provides drinking water to more than 40 million people and irrigates more than 10,000 km2 of farms dedicated to intensive agriculture (alfalfa, cotton, cattle), including some located in the middle of the […]