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Two men walk along the dry, receding shoreline of a Western reservoir under a wide blue sky.

A receding reservoir in the American West shows the pale “bathtub ring” left by falling water levels, as federal cuts to Colorado River supplies prepare to take effect. Photo: PBS NewsHour

How the West Is Preparing for a Drier Future as Water Supplies Hit Lows

October 13, 2026

How the West Is Preparing for a Drier Future as Water Supplies Hit Lows

Federal water cuts from the Colorado River are about to hit Arizona, Nevada, and California, and managers are spending billions to prepare for a drier future. Students explore what the shrinking supply means and how the West might adapt.

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Mandatory cuts from the federal government on water from the Colorado River will soon take effect in Arizona, Nevada, and California. Now, some water managers in the region are spending billions to prepare for a drier future. Special correspondent Ben Tracy with Climate Central reports for our series, Tipping Point.

View the transcript of the story.

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think? What do you want to learn more about? You can also make a Google doc copy of these general discussion questions.

Warm-Up Questions

  1. Which three states will have their water supply cut off from the Colorado River?
  2. How many people rely on water from the Rocky Mountains/Colorado River supply?
  3. What percentage of their combined capacity water capacity Lake Mead and Lake Powell are only performing at ?
  4. Why are megadroughts and water shortages becoming more common?
  5. What impact will Phoenix's new water recycling plants have on the water supply?

Essential Questions

  1. After watching this segment, what do you think will happen to Lake Mead? What intervention do you think local officials and the federal government could or should take?
  2. Kyle Roerink, senior advisor with Great Basin Water Network, said the era of cheap unlimited water is "over." How might rising water prices affect communities living in the West?
  3. Media literacy: Examine the map below. How do you think it helps viewers understand the scope of the problem with drawing water from the Colorado River? What other questions does the map raise for you about water management in the west?

PBS News Hour map showing the Colorado River winding through the seven Western states that depend on it.

What Students Can Do

Imagine you are the state governor of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah or Wyoming. How would you communicate the urgency of preserving water to the people in your state? How would you balance the needs of people in the cities and towns for drinking water and the needs of farmers for water to produce crops? What ideas do you have for reducing water use or increasing supply of available water?

To help you answer these questions, you may want to watch the following segment on how the state of California is grappling with priorities around water usage.

Lesson Plans on Climate Change

Explore more resources for educators to find a wide-range of relevant preK-12 lessons on climate change or supporting young people as they continue to lead the conversation around the climate change crisis.

Learn More

Republished with permission from PBS News Hour Classroom.

PBS News Hour Classroom
PBS News Hour Classroom helps teachers and students identify the who, what, where and why-it-matters of the major national and international news stories. The site combines the best of News Hour's reliable, trustworthy news program with lesson plans developed specifically for... See More
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