A new United Nations University report says the world has entered what it calls an era of “global water bankruptcy,” warning that many rivers, lakes, and aquifers are being used faster than nature can replenish them.
The report estimates nearly three-quarters of the world’s population now lives in water-insecure countries, with billions lacking reliable access to safe drinking water and sanitation.
Researchers say more than half of the world’s large lakes are shrinking, major rivers are failing to reach the sea, and groundwater depletion is causing land to sink in some regions.
The report argues that traditional approaches focused on short-term crisis response are no longer enough and calls for a new global water agenda centered on conservation, equity, and long-term sustainability.
The findings were released by the UN University’s Institute for Water, Environment and Health this month.
The San Miguel - Dolores - Animas - San Juan River Basin continues to lag behind expected snow pack and is at 49% of median. The Lizardhead Snotel site has about 18 inches of accumulated snow nearby. Sharkstooth has 22 inches, and 13 inches at Scotch Creek.
