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As drought continues in the West, a Senate subcommittee looks into the Colorado River

The U.S. senate’s energy subcommittee on water and power held a hearing in Washington DC Wednesday about ongoing drought conditions. KUNC’s Alex Hager reports, they heard from water experts from several western states. 

With the backdrop of a steadily decreasing water supply, experts hammered home the widespread effects of a future with less to go around. Jennifer Pitt is with the environmental nonprofit Audubon Society.

“The Colorado River provides drinking water to 40 million people. It’s the lifeblood for 30 federally recognized tribes. It’s the silent utility underpinning a trillion dollar economy.”

The director of Arizona’s water department said the path forward relies on good data and collaboration… including voluntary conservation measures in a river basin where water issues transcend state, tribal, and national borders.