Amazon has launched a Colorado River Basin Collaborative, committing $20 million of its own money and aiming to raise $100 million total over two years for conservation projects along the drought-stricken river, which supplies water to 40 million people across seven US states and parts of Mexico. Part of the funding includes $2.2 million for leak detection in Orange County, California, projected to save 189 million gallons annually.
A new federal decision will cut Arizona's yearly Colorado River allocation by more than 25 percent, straining a state that depends on the river for over a third of its water supply. The cutback arrives as TSMC and Intel expand massive, water-intensive semiconductor fabs in the state to meet surging AI-driven chip demand. City officials and industry leaders are now racing to conserve water and secure alternative sources as costs rise for both manufacturers and residents.
A major flash flood struck Bright Angel Creek in the Grand Canyon on Saturday, killing a 46-year-old man whose body was found near Crystal Rapids, and leaving about 15 people missing or unaccounted for. The surge pushed boulders into the Colorado River, prompted the airlift evacuation of more than 60 people, and destroyed the park's only pipeline supplying potable water to residents and tourists.
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