2 weeks ago

Europe’s Drying Rivers and America’s Reservoirs Signal Water Crisis

Many rivers and reservoirs in Europe and the western United States are holding much less water than usual.

A large part of Europe was experiencing drought by July.

Rivers such as the Rhine and Danube became too shallow for ships to carry normal loads.

England also had its driest July since records began, and many reservoirs were running low.

In the United States, Lake Powell and Lake Mead reached exceptionally low levels.

They are part of the Colorado River system, which supplies water to millions of people and farms.

Less snow, hotter weather and long-term drought are reducing the river’s flow.

Growing cities and farms are also using more water, making the shortage harder to manage.

This means water could become a bigger problem for food, transportation, electricity and daily life.

Key facts

Europe-wide drought: Around half of Europe’s land area was experiencing drought by mid-July, with 9 percent at the alert level.
England rainfall: England received 6.5 millimetres of rainfall in July, about 10 percent of its long-term average.
England reservoir storage: Reservoir storage in England had fallen to 69 percent by August.
Danube flow: At Baziaș in Romania, Danube flows were around 1,700 cubic metres per second, about a third of the July average.
Colorado River users: The Colorado River supplies water to about 40 million people and 5.5 million acres of farmland across seven states.
Reservoir levels: Lake Powell and Lake Mead reached their lowest combined levels since 1957.
Long-term drought: Scientists described the American Southwest’s three-decade dry spell as the worst in at least 1,200 years.

news18.com · 2 weeks ago