Colorado River's Worst Water Year Ever Puts 40 Million People at Risk -- New Report Says There's a Path Forward

A new report on the Colorado River crisis warns that the basin’s worst water year ever threatens more than 40 million people across seven states, alongside 16 million jobs and $1.4 trillion in annual GDP and the power generation from Hoover Dam. The “State of the Basin Report: A Guide to the Colorado River Crisis,” released by Thirst Foundation, is described as the first synthesis combining updated hydrology data, research, and expert interviews on both challenges and mitigation approaches. It points to ecological conditions, including rising salinity, and system pressures spanning water security, governance, the growth of tech companies and data centers, economic risk, and climate adaptation. The report also frames shared challenges for agriculture, cities, energy, ecosystems, and Tribal communities, and identifies high-impact intervention areas to improve long-term resilience. It was supported by the Walton Family Foundation, the Water Resilience Coalition, Thirst Foundation, and Grundfos. The release coincided with “Keep the River Running,” led by ultramarathon runner Mina Guli, who will run 2,000 miles over 100 days and supports summits in Las Vegas (Aug. 14), Phoenix (Sept. 1), and Los Angeles (Sept. 17).