California goes thirsty

last updated 8 January 2015

Los Angeles

The Interior Department has cut back the flow of water from the Colorado River to California, in a last-ditch effort to force the state to conserve. Interior Secretary Gale Norton said she cracked down to get California’s farmers to share their water with Los Angeles, San Diego, and other cities. Norton urged both sides to stop draining so much of the Colorado, which is fed by runoff from the Rocky Mountains, since six other Western states also need the water. Water wars in the West have grown intense as cities struggle to keep up with explosive population growth, and farmers cling to every drop they can to irrigate crops. “Water has to move to the cities,” said environmental activist Thomas Graff, “and the only real issue now is under what terms.”