$20 Million Poured Into Saving the Dying Colorado River by Amazon and a Corporate Coalition
Tech giant teams up with partners to fight drought with new conservation projects.
The Colorado River is facing a crisis that affects millions yet there is a wave of positive momentum building in the desert. On Monday e-commerce giant Amazon announced a significant $20 million investment to conserve water in the Colorado River Basin. This area is currently stressed by a mixture of high demand and historic drought. By launching the Colorado River Basin Collaborative or CRBC and joining existing organizations the Water Resilience Coalition and The Climate Pledge the firm hopes to help create the largest corporate water conservation effort focused on a single US watershed.
The stakes could not be higher as the Colorado River supplies water to nearly 40 million people and more than 5 million acres of farmland across seven US states and Mexico. However the situation is dire. Twenty five years of droughts have reduced annual river flow by 20 percent while its two largest reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Mead are now below 30 percent capacity. This situation has forced action from the top down with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum recently signing off on a management plan for the watershed extending through 2028.
The new management plan involves reductions in deliveries of Colorado River water among the Lower Basin states of Nevada California and Arizona. This plan calls for cuts of 1.25 million acre feet in each year of the next two years. Unable to pull levers on these massive decisions the new CRBC and participating companies working under the Water Resilience Coalition will help around the margins. Their focus is funding a range of water conservation projects across the basin. These include irrigation efficiency canal lining urban leak detection and repair and groundwater recharge.
CRBC spokesmen told GNN that Amazon is currently supporting two initial projects. The first is a $2.2 million commitment over 3 years with the Municipal Water District of Orange County. This district serves 3.2 million residents. The funding will expand leak detection to communities that may not have the resources to conduct this work on their own. It will also support leak repairs. There is also a focus on huge amounts of water that can be easily lost through diversion to agricultural lands. This happens both through canal delivery and through irrigation machinery.
Another key initiative involves Arable an agricultural technology company which has been backed by Amazon. This project aims to identify and implement irrigation efficiency on tribal farmland in the Lower Colorado River Basin. The project uses AWS powered sensors that give farmers real time data on when their crops need water. This helps them draw significantly less water from Lake Mead. This initiative has already secured more than $33 million in corporate commitments with an eventual aim of raising $100 million.
Matt Kistler the chief executive officer of the Water Resilience Coalition emphasized that bringing companies together can help coordinate money and speed up projects. He stated that the Colorado River Basin is one of the most important watersheds in North America and its future depends on collaboration at scale. You can learn more about this effort and other sustainable practices at the Water Resilience Coalition website.
First reported by Good News Network.
More in Good News
- Historical Milestones: From Scientific Breakthroughs to Civil Rights Advancements
A retrospective look at significant global events occurring on October 7, spanning musical achievements, scientific discoveries, and social progress.
- October 3: Korean Foundation Day, Lincoln’s Thanksgiving, and TV Classics
Marking mythic descent, national unity, and cultural milestones across centuries.
- The Secret Sauce of the Best Food Pantries is Dignity
Why the best food banks treat hunger like a temporary pause not a permanent state