US science agency seeks tech fixes for Colorado River water crisis

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is looking for technology-based solutions to the water crisis along the Colorado River, according to a report in Science (Volume 393, Issue 6816, September 2026). The Colorado River supplies water to millions of people across the American Southwest. But the river is under growing strain from drought and decades of heavy use. The NSF effort aims to find new tools and methods to ease that strain. Details of the specific technologies under review were not included in the report. The Colorado River crisis is one of the most serious water challenges in the United States. Any progress on solutions could affect farming, cities, and power production across the region.