Drought in the 21st century and its impacts in Colorado
November 10, 2022
Russ Schumacher and Becky Bolinger
Hosted by Kristen Rasmussen
Abstract
Since the year 2000, drought has been in place nearly continuously in Colorado. Drought and water availability have always been a challenge in the western United States, due to its arid, and highly variable, climate. But the impacts of drought have accelerated since the turn of the millennium. Much of the western U.S. relies on water that originates from Colorado, and demands for that water have increased with increases in population and the warming climate. In this presentation, we will provide an overview of drought in Colorado, and highlight contributions that the Colorado Climate Center has made to drought monitoring and research. We will discuss the significant droughts that have occurred in the last 20+ years, and summarize the impacts on water supply, wildfire, and agriculture. Recent drought conditions raise some major questions for the future: What will happen to water in the Colorado River basin in the coming years and decades? How will a warming climate influence drought in the future? How can communities prepare for and adapt to drought? The presentation will conclude with current Colorado Climate Center activities and ideas for potential partnerships and collaborations.