Running on Empty: Climate Change and the Future of the Colorado River Basin

Amid growing pressures from climate change and population growth, water availability in the Colorado River Basin is declining while demand continues to rise. At the Water Dialogue Lab at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), Prof Mehdi Nemati and his colleagues, Dr Daniel Crespo, Prof Ariel Dinar, and Ms Paloma Avila from UCR’s School of Public Policy, along with Mr Zachary Frankel and Mr Nicholas Halberg from the Utah Rivers Council, have developed integrated models to assess changes in water availability, use, and associated economic values across the Basin. Their research evaluates the effects of climate change and policy interventions on both physical water supply and economic outcomes. Their findings highlight the need for adaptive planning, improved economic resilience, and policy reforms to ensure long-term sustainability in the region.