drought

Arizona water officials have invested $30 million in efforts to help keep Lake Mead from reaching critical levels.

Federal water officials say major reservoirs on the Colorado River are likely to keep dropping as the Southwest continues to experience a prolonged drought.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday will visit Lake Mead in Nevada to highlight the problems caused by Western drought. 

U.S. officials have approved a long-lasting fire retardant that could significantly aid in fighting increasingly destructive wildfires. The U.S. Forest Service on Tuesday approved Perimeter Solutions' fire retardant that is intended to be used as a preventative measure and can last for months. It's similar to the red-dyed retardant dropped from aircraft, but it is clear and lasts much longer. The company says its primary use will be by industrial customers such as utility companies and railroads, but can also be used at residential and commercial properties.

U.S. hydropower generation is forecast to drop 14% this year compared with 2020 as drought grips vast areas of the West. Experts say the reductions complicate grid operations since hydropower is a relatively flexible renewable energy source that can be easily turned up or down, such as in the evenings when the sun goes down and solar energy generation drops. The projected declines in hydropower are concentrated in the West, with California's production expected to fall by nearly half. Declines in hydropower production mean bumps for other energy sources, such as natural gas.

Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly will chair an oversight hearing on western drought Wednesday.

The second-driest winter on record in the Salt River Project’s watershed was followed by a monsoon that the water and power utility said was the second-wettest since it started keeping records nearly 110 years ago.

Federal scientists are launching an effort to better understand the hydrology in the U.S. West.