Colorado River Disappearing!

Twenty-five people rely on the Colorado River. As many folks who live in the Western US know, water is extremely scarce there. Now the National Research Council is predicting even more scarce water availability as the climate warms and more users rely on the River.

The strange thing is that when temperatures rise, snow melts earlier in the winter, causing it to evaporate over a longer period of time. This trend means less water to the River's systems.

Now of course the government in the states that rely on this River are going to have to start making tough decisions about what development is allowed and how to spread out the avilable water as efficiently as possible. But there are things we can all do to help reduce the amount of water we use. Even if you just change a few habits, I promise it will make a big difference communitively.

Here are some tips...

When hand-washing dishes turn the water off when not rinsing

Check your sprinkler system to make sure its not watering the sidewalk, a wall, or the street.

Only run the dishwasher and laundry machine when they're full

Put a cover on your pool or spa

Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge rather than use the tap for every glass

Keep showers under 5 minutes

Put a milk jug filled with water in the toitlet tank

Use one glass for water a day so you use less dishes and run the dishwasher less

Use a commercial car wash that uses recycled water

When you are getting fresh water for your pet, throw the old water in a plant or in the yard

http://www.wateruseitwisely.com/100ways/sw.shtml

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17276693/