Precious water supplies are diminishing in many parts of the world because of climate changes of decreased precipitation and increased temperatures. At the same time, human populations and demands for water are expanding, especially in hotter and drier regions. When major rivers flow through multiple states or countries, volatile relationships can develop. In the western United States, the Colorado River supplies essential water to seven states, with any water that remains sent to Mexico. In the Middle East, the waters of the Jordan River are vital to Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. Disagreements about water allocations and environmental damage in both river basins are leading to conflicts and tough decisions.

I’ve been aware of water supply issues in the arid Southwest for decades, probably tracing back to the dire warnings of John Wesley Powell, described by Wallace Stegner in his excellent book, “Beyond the Hundredth Meridian” (1953). Until recently, however, I was only vaguely knowledgeable about the geopolitical position of the Jordan River. Given the ongoing strife in the Middle East, and upon learning more about the Jordan River, however, the similarities with the Colorado River intrigued me.

Jordan River drains into the rapidly receding Dead Sea (Wikipedia)

Along each river, extensive systems of dams, reservoirs, and aqueducts divert water for irrigation, hydroelectric power, and urban water supplies. In both semi-arid to arid regions, current water use exceeds the renewable supply, climate models predict hotter and/or drier future conditions, and severe environmental damage, including over-drafting of groundwater aquifers, rising salt content in the water, and soil salinity from irrigating agricultural fields, is increasing.

Remarkably, in my research for this blog post, I found a 2015 paper in the Journal of Arid Environments titled “A tale of two rivers: Pathways for improving water management in the Jordan and Colorado River Basins” (Chen et al., 2015). Clearly, others have considered the similarities between the two rivers! And sadly, in multiple documents that I read, writers refer to these two river systems as being among the most stressed river systems in the world. In this post, I briefly summarize a few of the many challenges in the two regions.

Controlling Colorado River Water

Originating in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the Colorado River extends a distance of 1,450 miles (2,330 km) to the Gulf of California. The watershed encompasses parts of seven US states—Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and California—and extends into Mexico. Colorado River water is a vital resource for over 40 million people.

Large-scale control of Colorado River waters began in the late 1800s, and today dozens of dams and many miles of diversion canals harness this powerful river. Because of these developments and the extensive upstream use of the water, over the past 50 years Colorado River water has rarely reached the sea in Mexico. Although I knew this fact, on a recent flight over the region I was astonished to see the enormous, desolate delta area. The vast expanse of the formerly lush and green wetlands created by the once-mighty river is now a barren wasteland—and the view was striking and, frankly, disturbing.

Colorado River Basin (Wikimedia)

In 1922, the first of many agreements about Colorado River water allotments were signed. Called the Colorado River Compact, this agreement regulated water distribution among seven states, dividing the watershed into Upper and Lower basins to receive equal amounts of water. In 1944, a treaty with Mexico allocated water to that country. However, from the very beginning, the amount of water promised exceeded what was available. Allotments were based on an expected annual river flow of 16.4 million acre-feet (20.2 km3), a figure derived from about three decades of stream flow data (measurements at Lees Ferry near Page, Arizona; also the boundary between the Upper and Lower basins). Unfortunately, those few decades probably represented the wettest years in over 1,000 years; the natural long-term annual flow is probably closer to 13.5 million acre-feet (16.7 km3).

Persistent droughts in the century since the first allotments were made, especially the southwestern North American megadrought that began in 2000, have significantly reduced available water. The average of the past 25 years shows just 12.4 million acre-feet in the river. Both of the two large water storage reservoirs—Lake Powell and Lake Mead—have water levels that have fallen significantly.

The US Bureau of Reclamation manages most of the basin’s water. In the past decade, concerns about long-term water supplies led the Bureau to revise water allocation guidelines, with reduced water deliveries to Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico. Most of the management directives expire in 2026. A process for analyzing options for “long-term” (post-2026) operations is underway. However, Upper and Lower basin leaders have submitted competing plans to the federal government and so far have been unable to agree on the water-saving actions necessary.

Low water levels showing water intake towers in Lake Mead at Hoover Dam in 2021 (Wikimedia)

The claims of the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe, among other tribal groups, must also be included in future water rights allocations. Largely ignored during previous water resource development and division of supply, Native American water rights will play a role in future developments. Major changes are ahead for Colorado River water.

Researchers expect the frequency of drought in the Southwestern US, as well as many other parts of the world, to increase. These predictions are based on recognizing climate trends that are highly unlikely within our understanding of the climate system. Human-made changes on our planet can explain many of these trends.

Juggling Jordan River Water

In the hot and dry climate of the Middle East, a few major rivers provide lifelines. For millennia, the Jordan River nurtured the civilizations of the Levant bordering the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Arising in the mountains of northern modern Israel and Lebanon, the Jordan River is 156 miles (251 km) long. Flowing from north to south for much of its length, the river is largely at elevations below sea level, eventually meandering into the Dead Sea.

Droughts in the Jordan River basin have become longer and deeper, and hotter summers are increasing evaporation in the basin. In the lower section of the river, pollution from agricultural fertilizers and untreated wastewater are causing serious environmental damage. Researchers estimate that just 10% of the river flow now reaches the Dead Sea, where the surface area has shrunk by over one-third since the 1960s. Nonetheless, the populations of Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine rely heavily on the Jordan River and associated groundwater supplies.

The Jordan River, Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and surrounding areas (Wikimedia)

The population of some countries in the river basin has skyrocketed over the past decades, especially in Jordan, which has seen a tremendous influx of Palestinian, Syrian and other refugees. Roughly half of Jordan’s population crowds into the capital city of Amman, including former farmers who have abandoned their fields because of salt damage. The quantity and quality of the water situation for Palestine is catastrophic. Besides extreme shortages of potable water throughout, limited wastewater sanitation in Gaza results in enormous quantities of untreated sewage flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. Extensive public health hazards and environmental devastation are resulting.

In past decades, conflicts and even wars have occurred because of the competing demands for Jordan River water. Given the political and economic challenges among the countries in the basin, cooperation and action around water needs vary considerably. Financial crises further hinder efforts to develop needed infrastructure and mitigate adverse environmental effects. It is a challenging—and grim—situation.

Moving Forward

In both the Colorado and Jordan river basins, measures are being taken to conserve surface and groundwaters. There are many adaptations available to help balance water demand and supply. These include desalination; upgrading water distribution systems to avoid excess waste; improving efficient water use, especially irrigation techniques; reuse of treated wastewater and gray water; effective stormwater collection; and many others. Nonetheless, painful decisions will probably be necessary to resolve water allocation disputes.

Shared problems call for shared solutions. Water shortages contribute to social and political instability—scarcity demands cooperation in pursuing alternative strategies. And of course, we need to implement multiple measures to slow climate change.

If you liked this post, please share it and/or leave a comment or question below, and I will reply—thanks! And if you’d like to receive a message when I publish a new post, scroll down to the bottom of this page, and leave your email address on my website. Join now to learn more about geology, geography, culture, and history.

 SOURCES

Al-Kharabsheh, Atef. “Challenges to Sustainable Water Management in Jordan.” Jordan Journal of Earth & Environmental Sciences 11, no. 1 (2020).
Aviram, Ram, Ahmad Hindi, and Saad Abu Hammour, Coping with Water Scarcity in the Jordan River Basin, The Century Foundation, December 14.  https://tcf.org/content/report/coping-water-scarcity-jordan-river-basin/
Chen, Assaf, Adam Abramson, Nir Becker, and Sharon B. Megdal. “A tale of two rivers: Pathways for improving water management in the Jordan and Colorado River basins.” Journal of Arid Environments 112 (2015): 109-123. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0140196314001323
Hite, Kristen, Pervaze A. Sheikh, and Charles V. Stern, 2025, Management of the Colorado River: Water Allocations, Drought, and the Federal Role, Congressional Research Service, Congress.Gov, Report R45546, 03/27/2025. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R45546
Photo of Jordan River draining into the Dead Sea, unknown date and author.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River#/media/File:Jordan_River_-_Dead_Sea.png
Map of Colorado River drainage basin, created using USGS data, 2018, by Shannon1. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colorado_River_basin_map.png
 Photo of water intake towers in Lake Mead at Hoover Dam, 2021, by APK.    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_intake_towers_at_Hoover_Dam.jpg
Map of the Jordan River, the Dead Sea, the Sea of Galilee, and surrounding areas, 2007, United Nations.  https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JordanRiver_en.svg