One of the well-documented effects of climate change in the
future is increased probability of widespread and long-term
drought. Related to those effects will be the accessibility of
fresh water to meet the needs of ecosystems and human societies.
The Colorado River system is in the midst of a 10-year drought.
Abundant geologic evidence shows that the region, without
climate forcing by humans, is susceptible to decadal- to
century-scale droughts. Post-2007 IPCC Report studies have dug
further into the question of what future climates would be like
under different CO2 emission scenarios. A related study that
examined what different stream flows and projected changes in
water demand would mean for the Colorado River System has been
accepted to a peer-review journal, Water Resources Research.
Keep in mind that the Colorado River System delivers water to 30
million people and a large number of ecosystems. Key components
of the system for human use includes reservoirs. If stream flow
is reduced for consecutive yea