“Resolve to Solve with Miles O’Brien,” a new documentary series, explores how scientists, innovators and determined problem-solvers are addressing some of the world’s most urgent challenges. The series looks at solutions for issues ranging from the Colorado River crisis to the future of energy.
Miles O’Brien, the host of “Resolve to Solve,” joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the series and how farmers and water managers are adapting to a shrinking Colorado River.
O’Brien, a veteran science journalist, said this was one of the hardest stories he’s tackled in terms of finding a good solution. Millions of people rely on the Colorado River, and it fuels millions of acres of agriculture; however, as the river is shrinking, the states are having a harder time learning how to share what’s left.
“The seven states that put their straws in it and use it cannot figure out a way to share this shrinking piece of water,” O’Brien said. “It was a challenge. I had hoped at the end of the day I’d have a concrete way of offering up a solution, but I’m not sure we got there.”
Because the states could not come to an agreement on how to share the water, the federally imposed cuts will require Arizona to reduce its consumption of Colorado River water by 27%. According to O’Brien, water managers have seen these cuts coming and have agreed to support them alongside California and Nevada. The concern now is what happens after this 2-year period of cuts come to an end.
“What has happened is the upper-basin states, Colorado, Wyoming and so forth, are dealing with less snowpack and the immediate consequences of a warm, dry winter. And they’re saying, ‘Hey, Mother Nature’s cutting us; we don’t need to cut any further,'” O’Brien said.
People in Arizona, California and Nevada are saying these cuts should be across the board for all states who benefit from the Colorado River. O’Brien said this debate of the cuts is where the problem lies.
