Carbon emissions are worsening the western US water crisis, new study finds

Carbon emissions are worsening the western US water crisis, new study finds

Decades of carbon emissions significantly worsened the western United States water crisis. Fossil fuel and cement producers' emissions reduced snowpack and river flows. This reduction accounts for a substantial share of climate-driven water changes. Increased irrigation demand also strains water resources across the region. Groundwater depletion is a growing concern due to these combined factors.