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The Colorado River Water Supply Crisis in a Few Graphs: Part 1

We almost always focus on just Lake Powell and Lake Mead, but there are 46 reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin. This new paper by Jack Schmidt and the usual suspects looks at the state and trends of total Basin storage and the “Ratchet Effect” when we consistently use more water than Nature supplies.

The Colorado River Water Supply Crisis in a Few Graphs: Part 1

Graph showing total storage in 46 reservoirs in the Colorado River Basin since January 1, 2023. The minimum amount during this period occurred in mid-March 2023, when total storage was less than at any time since late May 1965. The amount of increase or decrease in total Basin storage during the accumulation and depletion periods of each year are shown. Updated to June 14, 2026.