Desperate for Water
The Western U.S. has been gripped by drought for nearly a decade, leaving states fighting over water rights. Are we headed for another Dust Bowl?
How bad is the drought?
It started in 1999, and has spread to cover a third of the nation. Parts of the 11 Western states that have been hardest hit are experiencing the driest conditions on record, receiving only 20 percent of their normal rainfall. For California and Nevada, the last 12 months were the driest recorded since 1924. The volume of the Colorado River
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Scottish hospitality shines at these 7 hotels
The Week Recommends Sleep well at these lovely inns across Scotland
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
Scientists invent a solid carbon-negative building material
Under the radar Building CO2 into the buildings
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 1, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published