40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast

Re:40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast by dleslie on Friday August 27, 2021 @02:45PM (#28331541)

Much of that water is diverted to grow alfalfa, most of which is used to feed cattle, so that we can eat copious amounts of beef.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast by zikduruqe on Friday August 27, 2021 @02:48PM (#28331570)

It's also used to grow alfalfa in the middle of a desert region where alfalfa shouldn't grow to begin with. And the alfalfa is exported internationally. We are essentially exporting water out of the US.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast by distribot on Friday August 27, 2021 @03:39PM (#28332137)

It's crazy to me that in Norway they treat the oil reserves they found in the 60s as a good that is owned by the nation collectively, but we can't even treat water that way. Something that, if mismanaged badly enough, could kill us all in a week.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast by landemva on Saturday August 28, 2021 @02:03PM (#28340089)

"could kill us all in a week."

This seems a bit alarmist and detached from reality.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:40M People Rely on the Colorado River. It’s Drying Up Fast by YossarianFrPrez on Friday August 27, 2021 @02:49PM (#28331578)

Yeah, that's mentioned in the article. But in a way it's worse:

> A majority of the water used by farms — and thus much of the river — goes to growing nonessential crops like alfalfa and other grasses that feed cattle for meat production. Much of those grasses are also exported to feed animals in the Middle East and Asia.

[ Parent | on HN ]