00:0040 million Americans are living inside one of the worst long-term droughts in U.S. history.
00:05Scientists say it is now entering its most critical phase yet.
00:09The western U.S. megadrought has lasted more than two decades, with only brief interruptions.
00:15And now in 2026, it is getting worse.
00:18Snowpack levels in key mountain ranges are falling far below normal.
00:22The Colorado River is running at dangerously low levels.
00:25This river supplies water to seven U.S. states.
00:28And 40 million people depend on it.
00:31Emergency water negotiations are now happening for the third year in a row.
00:35Lake Mead remains far below its historical capacity.
00:39Even after recent rainfall, farmers across California, Arizona, Nevada, and Utah are facing more water cuts.
00:46This could impact crops and increase food prices.
00:50Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey warn of something more serious,
00:55a long-term shift toward a drier climate.
00:58Rising temperatures are increasing evaporation faster than rainfall can recover.
01:03Cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles are now facing difficult decisions.
01:08Water managers call it an existential crisis.
01:1240 million Americans!
01:14One river!
01:15And a drought that may never fully end.
01:17And a drought that may never fully end.
01:17And a drought that may never fully end.
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