Introduction
Water is one of the most valuable resources for humans, and our responsibility is to take care of it. Lake Mead is the largest water reservoir in the United States, located on the Colorado River. It is currently facing an unprecedented water crisis, which has already had a negative impact on the southwestern region and is expected to affect the entire country. This means that any citizen can potentially feel the effects of the crisis in the foreseeable future. Climate change and inappropriate resource use accelerate the process of the lake’s drying up, which is why it is important to develop a solution plan now to mitigate the possible consequences. Combining the transformation of the water distribution and power generation models with mitigating climate change consequences can be deemed the most effective solution.
Causes and Effects
The two leading causes of the Lake Mead water crisis are climate change and the inappropriate and excessive use of water resources. Rising temperatures in the region related to climate change have been contributing to the drying up of the lake over the last decades. Achhami et al. (2018) mention: “Due to warmer winter temperatures in the Southwest, there is less snowpack resulting in less snow melt, causing a decrease in the Colorado River runoff” (p. 260).
Climate change also affects the local environment and water resources. Yi (2020) states that “the Colorado River Basin has endured 20 years of severe drought, which has resulted in a significant water-level decline” (p. 6). The inadequate management of water distribution has also contributed to the deterioration of the situation. Zhang et al. (2022) suggest that the hydroelectric facilities in these areas are not used effectively. Due to the inadequate use of the facilities, the competition for water rises
The crisis can have severe effects on the surrounding population and the environment. It is becoming more difficult to satisfy the needs of the people who rely on Lake Mead’s water resources. The region’s ecosystem is also under threat, which can potentially contribute to the food and water crisis and aggravate climate change (Zhang et al., 2022). The fact that the Colorado River is shared with Mexico can increase tensions between the countries due to competition for water resources.
Necessary Steps
Accurately measuring the scope of the problem and all possible consequences is necessary. The ‘k-means cluster approach’ to evaluating the data regarding the water levels can be applied, which will help understand how the state of the lake can change over time (Shen et al., 2022). The first step is to address the root of the problem, which is climate change. It is vital to slow down further deterioration and work on reducing CO2 emissions. The next step is to ensure that the surrounding natural habitat is preserved as it is now, as any additional destruction will derail all the other efforts.
The second step is to start elaborating a new, more efficient system of water distribution and power generation. The most important aspect is to adjust the plan of water distribution to make it more efficient, that is, to eliminate any possible sources of water waste. Elaborating on a more efficient power generation system becomes the next step. At this stage, it is also necessary to consider the implementation of other water-saving and preserving technologies, such as smart and chemical technologies (Margan, 2022). The combination of these steps should help to mitigate the crisis.
Effective Measures
The severity of the crisis and its consequences made it apparent that some measures needed to be taken to mitigate the situation. The Law of the Colorado River includes a set of measures aimed at managing the allocation of water resources (Yi, 2020). Drought contingency plans adopted at the Congress level are among other legal measures aimed at managing the crisis. A series of steps, including evaluating the effects and consequences, must be taken. The most significant disadvantage of the recommended solution is the costs, time, and material resources.
Zhang et al. (2022) propose “models for dam power generation, water resource allocation, and hydropower resource allocation, taking into account agricultural, demographic, and geographic factors” (p. 23). This solution’s advantages include far-reaching and long-term results. However, several disadvantages exist, such as the fact that a comprehensive transformation is difficult to implement and requires a lot of resources.
Conclusion
The Lake Mead water crisis is not just a regional issue affecting the populations of the surrounding regions; it has the potential to impact the entire country. This is why it is important to elaborate a comprehensive plan for solving this problem as soon as possible. The following recommended steps to help solve the crisis can be implemented. We as a society can contribute to mitigating the crisis by decreasing our negative footprint on the environment and being responsible for water consumption.