Long-Term Flow Variability in Colorado River Evaluated

February 21 -- Tree-ring reconstructions of the Colorado River's streamflow over the past several hundred years show that average annual flows fluctuate more than previously assumed and that extended droughts are a recurrent feature, says a new report from the National Research Council. Droughts may be more severe in the future because of a regional warming trend, and more difficult to cope with because of rapid population growth, the report warns.


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