Saturday April 26, 2008

Colorado river may hit 500-year low due to global warming

bloomberg.com :

The Colorado River may drop to the lowest levels in at least 500 years because of global warming, threatening water supplies to much of the U.S. Southwest, researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey said. Warming of a "modest" 0.86 degree Celsius (1.5 degrees Fahrenheit) may reduce the average flow of the river - the primary water supply for residents in seven states - to the low end of the range seen between 1490 and 1998, USGS scientist Gregory McCabe said yesterday [16 Apr 2008]. The Colorado River is the primary water supply for residents in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the two main reservoirs on the river at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, last year developed guidelines on how to cut supplies to users in the event of a shortage.

- It's an emerging disaster. Some time ago I heard about the Colorado River not being able to reach the ocean - here's a photo. Other reports came in of how the Himalayan glaciers are melting and potentially affecting the water supply to 2 billion Chinese and Indians.

Investors are already gearing up to take advantage of the water issue, with a number of water ETF's already launched which make investments in water-related companies, typically water infrastructure, desalination plants and the like. But if and when actual water futures are launched to trade and hedge water as a commodity directly (such as the one proposed by Australia's ASX), then you will know that we are in trouble.

See also :

1. Global warming could bring hunger, melt Himalayas
2. Global warming 'is three times faster than worst predictions'

(2008-04-26 17:50:46 SGT) [Env] Permalink

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