Fact Sheet

Climate Change, Water, and Risk: Current Water Demands Are Not Sustainable

Pete Altman
Director, Federal Campaigns, Center for Policy Advocacy

Climate change will have a significant impact on the sustainability of water supplies in the coming decades. A new analysis, performed by consulting firm Tetra Tech for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), examined the effects of global warming on water supply and demand in the contiguous United States. The study found that more than 1,100 counties -- one-third of all counties in the lower 48 -- will face higher risks of water shortages by mid-century as the result of global warming. More than 400 of these counties will face extremely high risks of water shortages.

Water Supply Sustainability Overview by State

AlabamaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
ArizonaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
ArkansasWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
CaliforniaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
ColoradoWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
Delaware, Maryland
and Washington, DC		With Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
FloridaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
GeorgiaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
IdahoWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
IllinoisWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
IndianaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
IowaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
KansasWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
KentuckyWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
LouisianaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
MichiganWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
MinnesotaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
MississippiWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
MissouriWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
MontanaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
NebraskaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
NevadaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
New EnglandWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
New JerseyWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
New MexicoWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
New YorkWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
North CarolinaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
North DakotaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
OhioWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
OklahomaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
OregonWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
PennsylvaniaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
South CarolinaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
South DakotaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
TennesseeWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
TexasWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
UtahWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
VirginiaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
WashingtonWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
West VirginiaWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
WisconsinWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change
WyomingWith Climate ChangeWithout Climate Change

 

Downloads

Climate Change, Water, and Risk: Current Water Demands Are Not Sustainable - Fact Sheet (PDF) Water Shortage Risk and Crop Value in At-Risk Counties, by State - Summary (PDF)
Related Issues
Climate ChangeClimate Adaptation