More Drought on Tap for Western US Amid Low River Flows

RIO RANCHO, N.M. (AP) — The mighty Rio Grande is looking less mighty as U.S. forecasters predict spring flows will be less than half of average — or worse.

That signals potential trouble for the already stressed waterway.

The Rio Grande delivers drinking water and irrigation supplies to millions of people from southern Colorado into Texas and Mexico.

With more dry years than wet ones over the last two decades, how much water ends up flowing downstream has been a point of contention among the states.

Meanwhile, environmentalists are concerned about the river's overall health and the implications of another dry year for silvery minnows and other imperiled species.