Summary
As record-breaking heat bakes the western United States, climate change continues to worsen a 2-decade-long drought in the Southwest. Lake Mead, the massive reservoir behind the Hoover Dam, has dropped to its lowest level ever. Jack Schmidt, a river scientist at Utah State University, is working to inject a dose of scientific reality into public debate over the future of the Colorado River system, a critical source of water shared by seven states and Mexico. Schmidt, who thinks big and speaks candidly, is a go-to expert for stakeholders and policymakers. He has played a major role in revealing how the Colorado River has been reshaped by dams and water policy. With other researchers, Schmidt catalyzed changes in how the river is managed, helping protect sandbars in the Grand Canyon, for example. Now, as a warming climate reduces the river’s flow, Schmidt and colleagues argue that some users will have to consume less water, and that policymakers will face tough choices sure to produce winners and losers. The moment is ripe, as government officials are beginning a 5-year process of renegotiating several key agreements over use and management of the river’s water.
