A historic 'megadrought' and the climate connection: Examining the Western US drought crisis

In this special presentation, the Scripps western stations dig into the drought and climate change crises across the American West and its far-reaching impact – from our water infrastructure, to our forests and farmlands.

[nonstophorizon]

$13 per hour for firefighters? I don't live near any of that stuff (I'm a digital nomad, don't spend much time in the west), but Ithe starting pay for the customer service work I do from home is $14 per hour. Even I have to say that's not right; those men and women are saving lives. They deserve a LOT more.

[Heero]

Stop all the spending on wars, and put it in to good use, such as solving the wild fire issues.

[tcmkd]

Stop building in the desert is the real way of stopping water usage.

[MyMotorcycleObsession]

Ranchers have no grass for their cattle, meanwhile every house in the city waters the grass in their front yard, harvests that grass and throws it all in the trash. Crops are drying up and food is running short, meanwhile instead of growing gardens, people water their lawns which they can't eat. Water is running out yet we dump millions of gallons on the grass in our front yard. People stop watering their grass and the neighbors and city complains, you need a green lawn per city regulations. Please give me more water so I can keep my grass nice and green! OMG MY LAWN IS BROWN! Oh yea, we are so smart LOL

[HinaSunniva]

We want nature to behave as we want, but we don't care what nature wants.

[wickedwitch]

Reporter year 2025 : I am standing here by Pond Mead

[ksc]

This is happening quicker then we first thought... scary :0

[tommroy]

We're simply paying the price for our decisions and actions over the last 200 years. The industrialized way of living on this planet will be the demise of humanity...

[billiamc]

What is more concerning is how most people in this country care MORE about being on Facebook than about running our of water

[JasonVectrex_]

is it 21 years of drought? Or a lifetime of wasting water and destroying the environment ourselves that's the issue? Lol

[Automedon]

I remember when visiting San Diego 20 years, the tour guide said that all the parks, gardens, trees and lush lawns were only possible with irrigation. If you stopped watering it would return to the desert it once was. I bet he never thought it would actually happen.

[codyjones]

"This is affect of 21 years of Drought"! HUH?? DID you not learn from the Shell OIl co. warnings in 1972?

[andreak]

This is not just happening in the US but also happening in Canada. We are having a drought in western Canada, water shortages and record numbers of wild fires.

[silenthunger]

Goats! It is all about goats. They are dense, hardy, disease resistant creatures that do well in almost any climate. They actively graze, meaning they move as they eat so as not to destroy the vegetation. They produce manure for fertilizing the garden. They can be milked and sheared as well as skinned for leather and produce protein rich meat. The horns can be used for tools, the hooves for glue. The list goes on!! This is truly a nose to tail animal.

[gcb]

Perth in Western Australia has also had a 20-year drought. The government is building their third desalination plant.

[kenrobison]

No water in California no electricity. Screw electric cars how are you going to charge them? California needs a decelonization plant for electricity food and water. Not a train to
nowhere.

[robsledgegroupie]

Having fewer kids => lower need for resources

If you absolutely HAVE to have your own biological child, stick to one and adopt one of the millions of kids across the globe that have no parents or family to care for them!

[scottash]

Best line, "If we can train our youth to be technologically advanced..." If that was all we needed to do then we'd surely have a bright future. 17:13

[jrdeckard]

So its hot and dry in a desert. Who could have guessed?

[jonathanhurley]

Back in the mid 80s ...I lived in Phoenix...then going on 15 years or so. I remember the population signs would change every cpla months or so. I came across a book titled "Cadillac Desert" The author predicted the death of the southwest due to a lack of water. It was so convincing, I moved out...and have never lived there since. I have little sympathy for people who build and live in flood plains, on coastal areas, in the southwest, on earthquake faults and so on. Some risk is acceptable. Some isnt. ... I clearly saw the water shortage would absolutely rear its ugly head. I loved Phoenix...but not the risk associated with it.