Thirty-Six U.S. States to Face Water Shortages in the Next Five Years

Thirty-Six U.S. States to Face Water Shortages in the Next Five Years: "'Is it a crisis? If we don't do some decent water planning, it could be,' said Jack Hoffbuhr, executive director of the American Water Works Association. Rising temperatures due to global warming have increased evaporation rates across the country and reduced the availability of important water sources. One of these is the Sierra Nevada snowpack, which supplies a significant portion of California's water. Across the West, similar trends are expected to reduce flows of the Colorado River, which supplies water for seven states.

Meanwhile, rising sea levels are expected to cause saltwater to infiltrate freshwater aquifers in coastal states, rendering that water unusable."