Tuesday August 27, 2024
University of Virginia —
Researchers investigating the historic stresses of the American West’s water supply have identified a simple solution that could put parts of the Colorado River Basin on a more sustainable path.
In a new paper published today, a consortium of scientists and water experts including University of Virginia Darden School of Business Professor Peter Debaere recommend that closing Colorado’s “free river conditions” loophole would serve as a key initial step to reducing water stress in the region.
“Closing this loophole in Colorado’s water rights system could save millions of cubic meters of water and be the state’s modest contribution to solving water stress in the Colorado River Basin,” said Debaere, an expert in the economics of water and water markets.
In Colorado, when the river carries enough water to meet everyone’s needs, the “free river condition” allows anyone — regardless of whether they own water rights — to take as much water as they want from the river.