Web Tool Shows Effects of Drought in the Colorado River Basin

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Colorado River Basin map
Credit U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation
Colorado River Basin map

A new interactive website from the U.S. Department of the Interior looks to educate the public on the effects of drought in the Colorado River Basin.

The site is a collaborative effort designed to show how the water supply in the Colorado River has declined as demand has increased.

Angela Adams,  a project manager for the Bureau of Reclamation, says while the site contains a lot of complex data, it's presented in a digestible way.

"You don't have to be a scientist to use the open water data," says Adams, "you can definitely access it and take a look at the general information about it, and then learn as much as you want about drought and water supply in the Colorado River Basin." 

The site shows water levels in the Colorado River for the last 15 years, alongside dozens of detailed maps, animated graphs, and interactive pictures.

Adams says the site has gotten about 46,000 hits since mid December, and they plan to release a Spanish version later this year.