Senators from the seven Western states that use water from the Colorado River have been convening to discuss its future. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, spearheaded the caucus and said the group has been meeting for “about a year,” though news of its existence only recently became public. The caucus meets as a growing supply-demand imbalance threatens the water supply for 40 million people in the Southwest and a multibillion-dollar agricultural industry. Climate change has shrunk the amount of water in the Colorado River’s largest reservoirs, and states have struggled to agree on plans to reduce demand. The federal government has historically left water management decisions to the states, but has expanded its role in recent years.

Related articles:

• Harvard Gazette: Lessons emerge as 7 thirsty states war over Colorado River water
• Fronteras/KUNC – Greeley, Colo: Lake Powell Water Levels Hit All-time Low
• WBUR: How will the West adapt as the Colorado River diminishes?