Response to "The Dusty Colorado River"

This article is about the Colorado river, and how it's running out of water from frequent use in the western United States. The river is "the lifeline of the arid Southwest." But now there is a drought that is "threatening the water supply of millions." The cause of the problem is low snow-pack in the Rocky Mountains, where the river starts, and the sweltering summer temperatures have evaporated a lot of the water that's left. The shortage of water is so bad that authorities have had to reduce the flow from Lake Mead and Lake Powell, reservoirs in Colorado. The water in the river and reservoirs provides for 40 million people living in the region, and irrigates 4 million acres of farmland.

The tone of this article is very urgent. The author creates this mood by using dramatic words and phrases such as "severe" and "grim compromises." They also separate the article into sections labeled with questions that the reader might be asking as they read, such as "Why is the Colorado so important?" and "What will a drier future be like?" This makes the article more organized and easier to read. It's like the author wants the reader to prioritize and get all the necessary information so they can help, since it's such an important issue. 

The mood is also hopeful. The author gives examples of a lot of possible solutions to the problem, and steps that have already been taken. For example, "In Southern Nevada, almost all water used indoors by the 40 million tourists who visit Las Vegas each year is recycled and returned to Lake Mead, and officials now claim that everyone could take a 20-minute shower every day and the city's water consumption wouldn't increase a single drop." This is a solution that is very  appealing, since it means that people wouldn't have to give up the luxury of long, hot showers. The author is trying to make it seem like solving the problem won't require many sacrifices. This article has a very 'can-do' attitude for a problem that's becoming even worse.

Although this is not something that will really affect me right now, I am still concerned. This threatens peoples' lives, since water is necessary for survival, and is also needed for agriculture, which is a large part of our country's economy. If people can't live in the west, then they will move east to our cities, causing over-crowding. If they move here, then eventually the problem will just happen again, but in the east. It also shows that humans don't quite realize that there is a limit to natural resources, and are maybe wasting it on things that are more luxury (swimming pools, ridiculously long showers) than necessity. But I'm glad that people are starting to 'wake up' and find ways to resolve the issue.

Source: "The Dusty Colorado River." The Week 7 Feb. 2014: 11. Print.