The Colorado River water crisis: Its origin and the future
The Colorado River water crisis: Its origin and the future
复制标题
科罗拉多河水危机：起源与未来
作者：
J. Schmidt;C. Yackulic;Eric Kuhn
在世纪的大部分时间里，科罗拉多河流域的天然径流量下降，而消耗量保持相对稳定，导致水库蓄水量处于历史低位。2000年1月至2023年4月，美国两个最大的水库米德湖和鲍威尔湖的蓄水量减少了3350万英亩英尺（413亿立方米）。截至2023年4月，全流域的总存储量仅足以支持21世纪世纪全流域的平均消耗率15个月。预计2023年春季的径流量将很大，提供了短期的缓解。然而，如果流域范围的用水量保持不变，鲍威尔湖和米德湖将需要连续四到五个额外的异常潮湿年份才能重新充满。与全球气候变化相关的蒸散量增加和土壤干燥使这种情况不太可能发生。为了稳定水库蓄水量，全流域的使用量需要与现代径流量相等。为了恢复水库蓄水，全流域的使用量需要进一步下降。根据21世纪世纪的平均径流量，全流域使用量下降13%-20%将有助于稳定和一些水库蓄水恢复。未来关于水库运行的政策辩论将不可避免地涉及大部分或全部水库蓄水应该在米德湖还是鲍威尔湖。选择一个或另一个将导致显着不同的环境和娱乐结果格伦峡谷和大峡谷。
During much of the 21st century, natural runoff in the Colorado River basin has declined, while consumption has remained relatively constant, leading to historically low reservoir storage. Between January 2000 and April 2023, the amount of water stored in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest reservoirs in the United States, declined by 33.5 million acre feet (41.3 billion cubic meters). As of April 2023, total basin‐wide storage was sufficient to support the 21st century average rate of basin‐wide consumption for only 15 months. Runoff in spring 2023 is predicted to be large, providing a short‐term reprieve. However, it will take four to five additional unusually wet years in succession to refill Lake Powell and Lake Mead if basin‐wide water use remains unchanged. Increasing evapotranspiration and dry soils associated with global climate change makes such a scenario unlikely. To stabilize reservoir storage, basin‐wide use needs to equal modern runoff. To recover reservoir storage, basin‐wide use needs to decline even more. Based on 21st century average runoff, a 13%–20% decline in basin‐wide use would allow for stabilization and some reservoir storage recovery. Future policy debate about reservoir operations will inevitably concern whether most, or all, reservoir storage should be in Lake Mead or in Lake Powell. The choice of one or the other will result in significantly different environmental and recreational outcomes for Glen Canyon and the Grand Canyon.
影响因子：
27.6
作者：
Richter, Brian D.;Bartak, Dominique;Troy, Tara J.
通讯作者：
Troy, Tara J.