Monday, Apr 29 2013 2:58PM

The Colorado River is steadily drying up, which may have national implications.

More states are expressing their concerns about the drying up of the Colorado River, which was recently named America's most endangered river, according to Gary Wockner, director of Save the Colorado River Campaign. In a guest column that appeared in the Las Vegas Sun, Wockner discusses the national implications of the depletion of the river's vast resources.

The river, which provides water system services to more than 30 million individuals throughout the Southwestern United States, has dried up completely in certain areas and is quickly being depleted in others.

Further, cross-cultural disputes over access to the river's resources have stalled conservation efforts and complicated proposed river projects. Scientists also predict that climate change may result in further depletion by between 9 and 20 percent, Wockner wrote.

Wockner reports that, as the river's resources continue to deplete, the number of individuals who rely on the river is expected to double in the next 30 years. 

In an effort to help slow water depletion, quell water disputes and boost conservation, many groups, including the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), have launched conservation programs to ensure future generations have access to sustainable resources.

Recently, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar finalized a historic water rights settlement with four Native American tribes in New Mexico, the results of which will help ensure sustainability for future tribal members. 

For more information, check out this resource: The Las Vegas Sun