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Science and Innovations

New Web Tool Explores Drought in Colorado River Basin

US Department of Interior

An interactive website launched by the federal government explores 16 years of drought in the Colorado River Basin.

The website compiles real-time data on drought conditions and water supply. Viewers can explore interactive charts and images that show changing conditions on the Colorado River.

The U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Reclamation developed the tool as part of an initiative to find and share information on water.  

The agencies report the current drought is the worst one in a century. Reservoirs have declined to about half capacity, and officials say Arizona could see its first water cutbacks as early as 2017.

Melissa joined KNAU's team in 2015 to report on science, health, and the environment. Her work has appeared nationally on NPR and been featured on Science Friday. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona, where she fell in love with the ecology and geology of the Sonoran desert.
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