For the April subject of The Spotlight, Vox shares learnings from the Colorado River drought disaster. The Western United States is in its longest dry spell in 1,200 years, and the continuing mega-drought has been worsening for over 20 years. That has begun to throttle one of many essential arteries of the West, the Colorado River, which powers the most important hydroelectric dams within the nation, quenches the thirst of tens of millions, and irrigates essential crops that feed tens of millions of individuals. This iconic river’s move has fallen by 20 p.c within the final twenty years. In the meantime, its two largest reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — are at historic lows, prompting the Bureau of Reclamation to announce one other spherical of historic cuts earlier final 12 months. On this subject of the Spotlight, Vox continues to research the reason for the drought, what we are able to be taught, and the way to put together for one thing related.
Contributors to the difficulty embrace Umair Irfan on the terrifying worst-case situation for the Colorado River; Benji Jones on the eight species that rely upon the Colorado River and what occurs when the river dries up; And the way we’re going to pay for draining the Colorado River. Keren Landman on the Coccidioides fungus that lives within the soil of the southwestern US, Mexico, and Central and South America, inflicting valley fever, a extreme an infection that may trigger illness in people and animals.
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