colorado river snowmelt and forecasting challenges

Added: 2026-05-17

[00:00:00]Ever wonder where a huge chunk of the Colorado River's water just vanishes?

[00:00:05]For decades, managers predicted river flow perfectly from mountain snow. But since 2000, tons of snow melt has mysteriously gone missing. Turns out warmer, drier springs mean [music] plants are sucking up almost 70% of that missing water. They're like giant straws.

[00:00:20]>> [music] >> It's not just evaporation. The plants are the real culprits. So, predicting water from snowpack alone is no longer enough. Hit subscribe [music] for more surprising science.