The Wall Street Journal ran a major piece today warning that the Colorado River system is on the brink of disaster. The article points to a system under extreme stress: a river serving roughly 40 million people, more than five million acres of farmland, and hydroelectric power for millions. It also notes that Lakes Mead and Powell, the two largest reservoirs in the basin, have fallen dramatically from their peak volumes.

Now, there is no question that the Colorado River is in crisis. But the framing matters.

When the public hears “40 million people,” the mental image is subdivisions, swimming pools, lawns, golf courses, and new housing developments. That framing conveniently feeds the anti-development narrative. It suggests that growth itself is the problem.

If we are serious about solving the problem, we need to look where the water actually goes. And most of it goes to agriculture. Colorado State’s agricultural water conservation work notes that farms using flood irrigation are often only about 50 percent efficient, while sprinkler and drip systems can reach 80 to 90 percent efficiency. The vast majority of the acreage is still using this antiquated method of irrigation.

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