Every year, when snow from the Rocky Mountains melts into water, it finds its way into Lake Powell, the country’s second-biggest reservoir. But with each passing season, less snowmelt becomes reservoir water that 40 million people can use to drink, plant crops or satiate their lawns. … Atmospheric demand from climate change is one piece of the puzzle, as Schumacher puts it, as to why federal projections show that runoff into Lake Powell will reach about 67 percent of a historic average this season. Other reasons include dry soils and hotter temperatures accelerating sublimation, the process where solid snow turns only into gas instead of liquid, Schumacher said. Snowpack itself above the reservoir has hovered between around 84 and 91 percent of average in this month’s readings — another poor showing that continues over two decades of Western drought.

Other Colorado River Basin news:

• Newsweek: Why Lake Mead and Lake Powell are struggling despite record melting
• Aspen Journalism: North/south split for Western Slope snowpack and streamflow forecasts
• Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Photos: A look at Lake Mead and Hoover Dam
• The Nevada Independent (Las Vegas): Despite late winter rally, Nevada’s snowpack was a mixed bag across state
• WBUR (Boston, Mass.): Podcast: Snowpack problems hit the West’s water supply
• KUER (Salt Lake City, Utah): As Utah’s San Rafael River dries, scientists try to give native fish a fighting chance