Denver—Grim is the word experts are using to describe this summer’s outlook for the Colorado River. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, very little snow fell during the month of April in the mountains that feed the Colorado. Lake Powell is already down this year and will only see 43 percent of the average inflow. The drought that started at the turn of the century has reduced the flow of the Colorado River. The good news for now is, both Lake Powell and Lake Mead will have enough water to avoid mandatory cutbacks. Some 40 million people in seven, arid, neighboring states and Mexico rely on the Colorado for drinking and farming close to four million acres of land.
