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By Allison Winter | Arizona Mirror
A drought crisis unfolding across the West will require short-term relief and massive, long-term federal funding to help states weather the effects of climate change, state water managers and lawmakers said at a U.S. House hearing on Tuesday.
Nearly 90 percent of the West is now experiencing drought conditions, according to the federal U.S. Drought Monitor. The problem is particularly acute in the Southwest.
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“The situation is real and urgent. Current conditions require us to take bold and unprecedented steps to conserve and stretch our existing water supplies,” John Entsminger, the general manager for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, told members of Congress.
Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Utah just had their driest year in 126 years. Colorado had its fourth-driest year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
