Global Connections

The Colorado River Crisis, while unique, does have many similarities worldwide. Many rivers are facing the same problems for different reasons, or vice versa. Rivers like the Nile, Yangtze, Paraná, and Danube are suffering the effects of climate change and population increase not unlike the Colorado. The Nile and Yangtze are currently losing their potency for hydroelectric power, with the water levels shrinking rapidly. These crises also share similarities with the Salton Sea, especially the Aral Sea in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Both inland seas have become far too salty to foster a healthy environment, with thousands of dead fish left to rot due to toxic fertilizer runoff. The Salton Sea, however, is in a quasi-state of relief: The northern half of Kazakhstan is slowly being revived by the World Bank through multiple costly efforts, but the south half in Uzbekistan is left in an inhospitable dryland. This is in contrast to the stark state of the Salton Sea. In short, there are many similarities between the Colorado River and the rest of the world, which just goes to show how serious the problem is: It’s global.