7 States, 1 River and an Agonizing Choice

<p>In the United States, 40 million people in seven states depend on water provided by the Colorado River.</p><p>After 20 years of drought, the situation is dire and the river is at risk of becoming a “deadpool,” a condition in which there is not enough water to pass through the dams.</p><p>The states were supposed to come up with a deal to cut their usage by Tuesday. Now, the federal government may have to step in and make a difficult decision.</p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/christopher-flavelle?smid=pc-thedaily">Christopher Flavelle</a>, a climate reporter for The New York Times.</p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>The seven states that rely on the river for water are not expected to reach a deal on reductions. The federal government<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/27/climate/colorado-river-biden-cuts.html"> could impose cuts for the first time in the water supply</a> for millions of Americans.</li></ul><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit </p><p><a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily">nytimes.com/thedaily</a>. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.</p>