How to Protect Water for 40M People on the Colorado River | WSJ Pro Perfected (Level 1)

The Colorado River is in serious trouble. About 40 million people depend on its water. A drought has lasted 26 years, and the river has less water than before. In 1922, seven states agreed to share the river water. They divided it into two groups: the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin. Each group was promised 7.5 million acre-feet of water per year. But the river usually has less. The federal government now has a plan to cut water use. It could reduce water for the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada by up to 40 percent. Nevada has sued, saying the cuts are unfair. The Upper Basin states do not have to cut water. Farmers use about 75 percent of the river water. Experts say the real problem is not running out of water, but running out of cheap water. People will likely pay more for water and food. The future is uncertain.