Post by rico on Feb 8, 2023 15:29:40 GMT
Prolonged drought coupled with water withdrawals have caused a dramatic drop in Lake Powell's water level, NASA says. These images show the northern part of the lake, which is actually a manmade reservoir extending from Arizona into southern Utah. In 1999, water levels were almost at full capacity. By May 2014, it had dropped to 42% of capacity.
Although records show droughts are a part of this regions climate variability, the droughts are becoming more severe.
Even in 'low-emission climate scenarios' (forecasts that are based on the assumption that humans' ever-growing dependence on fossil fuels will begin to slow down and even decrease in the future), models predict precipitation may decline by 20-25% over most of California, southern Nevada and Arizona by the end of this century.
Although records show droughts are a part of this regions climate variability, the droughts are becoming more severe.
Even in 'low-emission climate scenarios' (forecasts that are based on the assumption that humans' ever-growing dependence on fossil fuels will begin to slow down and even decrease in the future), models predict precipitation may decline by 20-25% over most of California, southern Nevada and Arizona by the end of this century.
