The Colorado River is in trouble. Some groups want the government to step up

Earlier this year, several environmental groups sent a petition to the federal government with a seemingly simple message: Ensure that water from the imperiled Colorado River is not wasted and only being delivered for “reasonable” and “beneficial” uses. The organizations urged the Bureau of Reclamation to use its authority to curb water waste in the Lower Basin states: California, Arizona and Nevada. The petitioning groups argue reducing water waste could help ensure the river has a sustainable future.