Climate Change Induced Water Shortages Could Impact One-Third of US
More than 1,100 counties - a full third of all counties in the lower 48 states - now face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of global warming, and more than 400 of these counties will be at an extremely high risk of water shortages, based on estimates from a new report by Tetra Tech for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
The report used publicly available water use data across the United States, and climate projections from a set of models used in recent intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) work to evaluate withdrawals related to renewable water supply.
The report found that 14 states face an extreme or high risk to water sustainability, or are likely to see limitations on water availability as demand exceeds supply by 2050.
These areas include parts of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.