The Colorado River, vital for 15% of US agriculture, is shrinking, raising concerns about the nation's food supply. Farmers in the Imperial Valley, a major producer of winter crops, warn that dwindling water levels and competing interests will have severe consequences.
The Colorado River , which provides water for about 15% of our country’s agriculture, is shrinking, and the current agreement that divvies up the water usage ends in 2026.This valley receives less than three inches of rain a year, yet still produces about two-thirds of the country’s winter produce.
“A lot of people say that the Colorado River and the diminishing water supply is an issue that affects 40 million people, because that’s who rely on it. I think that number is too low. I think 100 million people rely on the water from the Colorado,” said fourth-generation farmer Andrew Leimgruber. “I can say it’s not covering our costs all the time. For instance, if I’m going to install drip irrigation, I need to have $1,000 an acre. I don’t get anywhere near that in compensation. And that’s something that we need to study more, because as we move forward, conservation just gets more expensive,” said Benson.
Colorado River Water Scarcity Agriculture Food Supply Imperial Valley
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