UN Warns Two Largest Reservoirs in US Are Approaching Dangerous 'Dead Pool' Status

Addressing the root causes of the climate crisis is essential to solving the worsening problem of water shortages in the Colorado River Basin, said a top environmental expert at the United Nations on Tuesday, emphasizing that the aridification of the region is part of a larger global trend.

The two largest reservoirs in the U.S., Lake Powell and Lake Mead, are part of the Colorado River watershed, and are both on the precipice of reaching dangerous "dead pool" status, according to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), with water levels dropping so low that water no longer flows downstream from the reservoirs.

"Overconsumption and the climate crisis could lead to water levels so low that downstream flows to hydroelectric plants would stop," tweeted UNEP, which would jeopardize access to electricity for millions of people in western states.