Lack of water from snowmelt in US western states

Rapid snowmelt and diminishing snowpacks are severely impacting water supplies across the western United States, threatening communities, agriculture, and ecosystems. In states like Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Washington, snowpack is disappearing up to four weeks earlier than normal, leading to snow drought conditions in some basins within a month14. Washington and Utah have already declared drought emergencies due to low snowpack and below-average streamflow forecasts, with Utah's Governor Spencer Cox urging water conservation across 17 counties14. In Washington, the North Puget Sound Basin near Bellingham reported snowpack levels at less than 70% of normal, exacerbating water shortage risks2.

The broader trend of declining snow water equivalent-projected to drop by 25% by 2050-combined with earlier melting, disrupts groundwater recharge and streamflow dynamics, challenging traditional water management practices36. Additionally, long-term drying and increased demand have led to significant groundwater losses in the Southwest, with the Great Basin losing 16.5 cubic miles of underground water over the past two decades, far outpacing surface water declines in areas like Lake Mead5. These compounding factors highlight the urgent need for adaptive water management strategies to address persistent low-snow conditions in the region37.

Citations:

1. https://thehill.com/policy/equilibrium-sustainability/5278130-snowmelt-us-west-water-supply-utah-colorado-new-mexico-washington/
2. https://farmonaut.com/usa/washingtons-water-woes-early-snowmelt-and-moderate-drought-hit-western-regions
3. https://livinglakescanada.ca/resource/a-low-to-no-snow-future-and-its-impacts-on-water-resources-in-the-western-united-states/
4. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/snow-drought-current-conditions-and-impacts-west-2025-05-01
5. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/152970/groundwater-declines-in-the-us-southwest
6. https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/water-in-the-west
7. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-runoff-older-reveals-years-underground.html
8. https://www.earth.com/news/despite-record-snowpack-in-the-west-early-melting-could-lead-to-water-scarcity/
9. https://waterdesk.org/2024/04/national-climate-assessment-snow-water/
10. https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/snowmelt-runoff-and-water-cycle
11. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/05/230522131337.htm
12. https://livinglakescanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/siirila-woodburner-etal2021_low-to-no-snow-future-impacts-on-water-resources-western-us-1.pdf
13. https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00751-3
14. https://www.newswise.com/articles/early-west-snowmelt-predicts-summer-water-scarcity
15. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2023-03/2021GL094985Future%20Changes%20in%20Snowpack%20Snowmelt%20and%20Runoff.pdf
16. https://waterdesk.org/2024/10/how-much-runoff-comes-from-the-wests-snowpack/
17. https://www.drought.gov/drought-status-updates/snow-drought-current-conditions-and-impacts-west-2025-04-03
18. https://www.usgs.gov/programs/climate-adaptation-science-centers/news/highlighting-changes-snow-and-water-west
19. https://www.watereducation.org/aquafornia-news/rapid-snowmelt-threatens-us-west-water-supply-outlook
20. https://www.aol.com/rapid-snowmelt-threatens-us-west-194205001.html

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