States With Water Shortages: Who Is Affected By the US Drought Crisis?

Water scarcity in the United States has been in the news for years. Many of us have read gripping news stories about raging wildfires, record temperatures, withering crops, and water restrictions — or perhaps experienced some of those effects firsthand.

But what's the status of the drought today? What happened to the usual water sources, what might the future look like, and what can we do to help? What do recent scientific studies tell us about water problems in the U.S. now and in the future, and what areas will likely experience the most severe impacts? Let's take a look.

View Our Drinking Water Systems

Understanding Water Scarcity in the US

The U.S. is  currently experiencing a water crisisthat spans several states. California is perhaps the state historically best known for its punishing, ongoing drought conditions. Still, other states also experience drought, and severe drought has shifted to many of those states in recent years. Much of the country's western and southwestern regions face moderate to extreme drought conditions, and many states have been feeling the effects of drought for several years.

A 2023 New York Times analysis reported that 45% of water wells have shown a significant decline in water levels since 1980, with 40% reaching record-low levels in the past decade.

At our current rate of consumption, the U.S. may experience severe water shortages in the decades ahead. These shortages would blanket several areas of the United States, including parts of the Great Plains, the South, the Southwest, the Midwest, the Rocky Mountain states, and California. While the amount of water on earth doesn't change, our consumption habits and global climate patterns do, and shifts in these areas can also affect how much water is available for use.

As water scarcity becomes more prevalent, we may see issues with contaminated water, as dwindling water supplies can pollute water and create unsanitary conditions. For this reason, the U.S. is supporting recent water infrastructure projects, advancing drought resilience, and expanding access to clean, reliable water for families, farms, and wildlife.

What Causes Water Scarcity?

Many factors contribute to water scarcity in the U.S. and around the world, including:

• Agriculture: Agriculture accounts for a significant portion of the country's ground and surface water usage. For example, in 2015, irrigation comprised 42% of the country's total freshwater withdrawals.
• Insufficient infrastructure: A lot of freshwater in the U.S. is also wasted due to inefficiencies from poor irrigation systems and water management. Cities in the U.S. without the proper infrastructure to access and distribute clean water include Buffalo, New York; Houston, Texas; and Central Valley, California.
• Climate change: Climate change is accelerating water stress around the world. Changing weather and global water patterns have led to shortages and drought conditions in some areas and floods in others.
• Natural droughts: Natural droughts occur when cyclical weather patterns cause periods of greater and lesser rainfall. The natural climate patterns of El Niño and La Niña, for instance, are notorious for changing ocean temperatures, winds, surface pressures, and rainfall and drying out the western United States every few years.
• High water demand: The water crisis can also result from demand exceeding the water supply in the area. Our finite amount of freshwater is stretched across a growing population each year. The worldwide population is more than three times larger than it was during the mid-20th century and is expected to expand by 2 billion people by 2030.
• Groundwater depletion: Many regions of the U.S. are experiencing groundwater depletion due to aquifers being pumped faster than they can be replenished. This can lead to adverse long-term effects, such as deterioration of water quality and reduced water in streams and lakes.

What States Are Running Out of Water?

Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nebraska, California, and Idaho use more water than they receive each year, depleting groundwater reserves for farming and industrial use. 

The National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), created the U.S. Drought Monitor to map drought conditions across the country and keep drought records and U.S. water shortage maps from past years.

The NOAA classifies drought according to severity. From most extreme to least extreme, the categories include exceptional, extreme, severe, and moderate drought. Areas approaching moderate drought conditions receive a classification of "abnormally dry." The following are some of the states with water shortages and how local drought conditions are impacting these areas.

1. Colorado

Many counties in Colorado recently sustained severe to extreme drought conditions — with the Palmer Drought Index showing 66.7% of the Rio Grande Basin facing moderate to extreme drought by the end of June 2024. As one of the longest rivers in North America, the Rio Grande supplies freshwater to seven U.S. and Mexican states. With the drought, we see more dry river sections, water shortages, wetland loss, reduced riparian vegetation, and extinct or absent native fish populations.

Wildfires are also becoming more frequent in the area due to warmer, drier conditions caused by climate change.

2. New Mexico

Drought has blanketed most of New Mexico, with extreme conditions in the northern and southeastern parts of the state. An unusually light snowpack has contributed to the dry conditions currently affecting millions of residents of the state.

Because of the drought, New Mexico has experienced lower river levels, which hamper recreational activities. The drought also raises the prospect that the Rio Grande will be unable to supply the necessary water to Santa Fe and Albuquerque residents and force these cities to switch to their backup wells.

3. Oregon

Drought has covered much of Oregon, with extreme and severe drought affecting much of the western and central portions of the state. Higher temperatures and lower precipitation levels than usual have led to a smaller snowpack and lower soil moisture levels and stream flows.

The drought has reduced irrigation allotments for farmers and increased the likelihood of wildfires. It has also stressed the vegetation, increasing susceptibility to insect damage and reducing grazing land for livestock, especially in the Coquille, Deschutes, Klamath, Rogue, and Umpqua watersheds.

4. California

Although California's drought has eased in recent years, moderate drought and abnormally dry conditions still reign in the north, affecting 54 counties as of July 2024. The state also saw its 14th driest June on record since 1895.

Reports also show California is running out of groundwater as basins remain seriously depleted, accounting for approximately 41% of the state's water supply.

The ongoing megadrought in much of California has increased fire danger, dried up farmland, caused crop shortages, killed trees, and forced the adoption of ordinances limiting water consumption.

5. Texas

The water shortage in Texas is due to a combination of factors, including drought, extreme heat, wildfires, and climate change. These factors have exposed Texas' weakening infrastructure and caused low water supply in some areas. For example, Lake Travis — the largest reservoir supplying Austin — was only 38% full in January 2024, down from 80% full in January 2022.

South Texas is significantly impacted, as Lower Rio Grande reservoirs dropped from 33% to 23% full from 2023 to 2024. A repeat of these conditions could result in lower water supplies than ever, impacting wetland aquatic species that depend on the rivers' half-salty, nutrient-rich systems. 

6. Nevada

While Nevada's drought has lessened recently, snowfall and runoff into the Colorado Basin have been well below average since 2000. This has resulted in significant water declines at major system reservoirs like Lake Mead. In 2021, federal officials made the first-ever shortage declaration, reducing the amount of water available to Nevada in 2022.

Browse Our Water Filtration Systems

The Future of Water Scarcity in the US

Which states will be next to develop water crises? Though we can't know for sure, looking at current maps and projections can give us a reasonably accurate indication. Recent NOAA and U.S. Drought Monitor maps show particularly abnormal dry conditions and patches of short-term drought across the following states and regions:

• New England
• New York
• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia

Along with Oklahoma and Texas, plains states like Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Kansas, and Missouri have also seen areas of significant aridness and drought. If temperatures continue to rise, precipitation decreases, and water shortages continue, these regions could potentially see extended periods of drought within the next few years.

How to Conserve Water and Promote Sustainability at Home

Fortunately, you can do your part to help preserve water. If we all pitch in, monitor our water usage, and conserve where we can, we can help alleviate drought in vulnerable states. Below are a few tips for how you can curb your household water use and help prevent water scarcity.

Bathroom Tips

In the bathroom, you can help conserve water by following some of these steps:

1. Upgrade appliances: Installing high-efficiency toilets and low-flow showerheads can help prevent you from using more water than you need to in the bathroom.


2. Check for leaks: Inspecting your pipes and bathroom fixtures enables you to locate areas of water loss and fix them before they waste gallons of water and drive up your utility bill.


3. Turn off the faucet: Instead of letting the water run while you brush your teeth and wash your face, turn it off until you need it.


4. Take shorter showers: Be mindful of your time in the shower and your water usage. Instead of daydreaming or listening to music, get in and out as fast as you can. You can also take a "navy shower" by turning the water off while you wash and turning it back on to rinse off soap and shampoo.


5. Recycle shower water: Put a bucket in the shower to catch some of the water. You can use that water to supplement your yard sprinklers, water plants, or wash your dog.

Kitchen Tips

In the kitchen, try using some of these tips to conserve water:

1. Reduce meat intake: One of the best things you can do to decrease your water consumption footprint is to eat less meat. Raising livestock takes tremendous amounts of water — beef production requires 20 times more water per calorie than plant agriculture. Livestock operations can also pollute freshwater with antibiotics, animal waste, fertilizer, hormones, and pesticides.


2. Minimize dishwasher use: Wait to run your dishwasher until you have a full load ready to go, and use the "light wash" feature if you have it. Try to minimize the rinsing you do before putting soiled dishes in the dishwasher as well.


3. Thaw meat conservatively: Instead of thawing your chicken or ground meat by running it under tap water, let it sit overnight in your refrigerator, or use the "defrost" setting on your microwave.


4. Compost discarded food: Because kitchen disposals require a lot of water to run, it's helpful to start a compost pile for unwanted food instead of putting it all down the drain. 


5. Run water sparingly: Try to use water straight from the tap instead of letting it run until it's hot or cold. If you must run the tap, try to catch the water in a bucket for use in your garden or on your houseplants.

Plant and Garden Tips

With your garden and other plants, here are some ways you can help conserve water:

1. Reduce overwatering: Most lawns don't require daily watering. Some water every five to seven days in the summer and every 10 to 14 days in winter should suffice. Remember that a heavy rain can fulfill your yard's water needs for up to two weeks.


2. Water in short bursts: If you water your lawn for long stretches, you risk oversaturating the soil and wasting the water the ground can no longer absorb. Watering in smaller sessions is much more efficient and effective.


3. Position sprinklers judiciously: Try to point your sprinklers so that most of the water falls on your plants and not on sidewalks, driveways, patios, or decks.


4. Set timers: If your sprinkler systems have timer capabilities, be sure the timers are working properly. If you have to turn your sprinklers off manually, set a timer to help yourself remember and reduce the risk of letting your sprinklers run for hours.


5. Water at strategic times: If you water in the heat of the day, the water may evaporate before it ever reaches your plants. Watering in the cooler morning or evening helps you direct more of your water to your lawn and garden's thirsty roots.


6. Collect rainwater: One excellent strategy for reducing outdoor water consumption is to put the rain to good use. You can catch rainwater in buckets on your dry surfaces or divert water from your drainpipes to use on your plants.

Browse Our Water Filtration Systems

Follow Our Blog or Leave a Comment Today

As consummate water professionals, we at Multipure take a keen interest in water scarcity around the country. To learn more about drought and other water issues or explore the variety of drinking water systems and Bath and Garden products we offer, follow our blog. You can also leave a comment to get in touch.

Reach out today to join the conversation.