I’ve got a confession: I’ve gone off the screen-time deep end. I’m not going to say how much — some things are embarrassing, and also sacred. But I am desperate for some semblance of a screen-time schedule, and I’m ready to try out a few analog hobbies. First up, I’ll swap my bedtime doomscrolls for a book. I made it off my library’s waitlist for The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson, so I’ll start there. When theSkimm’s Weekend team interviewed her last month, Jackson made a very compelling pitch for Colin from Accounts; I’ll stream that next. (The big screen is fine for this experiment, OK?) Finally, a major craving for my favorite zucchini quesadillas will keep my hands busy (and guarantees plenty of delicious leftovers). Keep your fingers crossed for me, and in the meantime, let’s get to the news…
— Kylie McConville / VP, Editorial / Astoria, NY
Troubled Waters
How Low Will the Colorado River Go?
What’s going on: The Colorado River water crisis has reached a new level... and it's not good. On Saturday, Lake Powell — the nation’s second-largest water reservoir — saw its elevation drop to 3,519.91 feet, its lowest point on record. The news comes less than two weeks after Lake Mead, the nation’s biggest reservoir, hit its own dangerously low level. The last time experts estimate water levels were this depleted was in 1957, before Lake Powell even existed. Together, the reservoirs sustain the Colorado River (called the “lifeblood of the Southwest”). The system provides water and electricity to 40 million Americans across seven US states — including Native American tribes — and two northern states in Mexico. While both bodies have steadily declined for the past two decades, the latest water line at Lake Powell is less than 30 feet from the minimum required to keep its largest dam generating hydropower. If that happens, nearly 500,000 households could risk losing power.
Are we at rock bottom?: Not yet... but the blueprints didn't factor in climate change. And now, the West is warming faster than the rest of the US, while the region's been locked in a "megadrought" for years. Last winter was one of the warmest and driest on record. It’s caused the Southwest’s water bank account to shrink by roughly 20% since 2000. Scientists agree that today's levels are "unprecedented," and federal officials have made strides toward a short-term solution to get through until next year. That doesn't mean the glass is half full. While most households in the Southwest won't lose water completely, others could be on borrowed time. In Northern Arizona’s Native American communities, one-third of households lack running water because neighboring states have blocked their access. A longer-term plan to limit water usage is at a standstill because the seven states that depend on the river don't agree on how much to scale back. Until they do, one scholar warns, “the ship continues to sink."
