The Colorado River crisis is reaching a disastrous tipping point as Lake Mead and Lake Powell technique dead swimming pool levels. This documentary discovers the $5 trillion lie composed into the 1922 Colorado River Compact that ensured the American West would run dry.
TL; DR: For 100 years, massive reservoirs hid a structural deficit in the Colorado River. Now, with megadrought and aridification accelerating, the "Law of the River" is forcing a harsh reckoning for 40 million people, $1.4 trillion in yearly financial activity, and the future of Western agriculture.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:.
In this deep dive, GeoQuest investigates the covert mechanics of the Western water crisis:.
The 1922 Lie: Why federal hydrologists understood the river was over-allocated because the 1960s however stayed quiet.
Dead Swimming Pool Physics: The precise minute the turbines at Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon will stop spinning (Countdown: Dec 2026). ⚡.
The $5 Trillion Direct exposure: How water scarcity is repricing realty, energy grids, and the worldwide food supply chain.
Seniority Guidelines: The "Previous Appropriation" doctrine that decides which farms remain damp and which cities go dry.
⏱ VIDEO CHAPTERS:.
0:00 The $5 Trillion Collapse: The Colorado River Lie. 2:15 The 1922 Compact: A Century of Bad Math. 8:40 Dead Pool: When the Turbines Stop Spinning. 15:10 The Human Stake: Farmers vs. The Ditch Rider. 22:30 The Environment Squeeze: Aridification AND Dust-on-Snow. 30:15 The $1.4 Trillion Engine: Economic Direct Exposure Map. 38:40 Backroom Deals: Who Gets Saved (And Who Doesn't). 45:55 Financialized Location: Pricing the River. 54:20 Tech Temptations: Desalination AND The Pipeline Fantasy. 1:02:10 The Cut Menu: Who Gets Smaller First? 1:10:45 The New Rules: Extraction with Limitations. 1:18:30 Conclusion: What the River Chooses for America.
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Disclaimer: This video is for educational and documentary purposes. Financial figures are based on local GDP direct exposure and stranded possession forecasts since 2025.
