Another Major US River Running Dry Leaving Millions Facing Water Crisis

The Rio Grande, one of the longest rivers in the United States, is grappling with a severe water crisis that threatens the water supply for millions. Stretching 1,900 miles from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, the river provides water to communities in New Mexico and Texas. However, due to overuse and prolonged droughts, the Rio Grande has lost around 85 percent of its historic flows, leaving only 15 million people reliant on it for drinking water.

In New Mexico, the river has experienced the most significant declines in flows among major U.S. river systems, with more than 112 miles drying up this summer. Elephant Butte Reservoir, a critical water source, was less than 1.5 percent full on August 31, marking the lowest level on record for that date. Texas, too, faces a looming water shortage crisis, with projected annual shortages expected to exceed the capacity of the state's largest reservoir, Toledo Bend Reservoir.

The Rio Grande's water shortage is exacerbated by agricultural water use, which has increased over the past four decades, consuming 87 percent of direct water consumption in the basin. A study predicts that without substantial reductions in water consumption, the remaining surface water in New Mexico reservoirs could be depleted within one or two low runoff years.