Despite Arizona and other Southwestern states experiencing a wetter winter, experts say the region is enduring the worst drought in 1,200 years. Kevin Moran, associate vice president of regional affairs for the Environmental Defense Action Fund, said less water in the Colorado River Basin is both driven and accelerated by climate change. Moran explained what is happening is called "aridification," when a region becomes increasingly dry over a long period of time, rather than through seasonal variations. .
A chemical plume that has so far killed more than 3,500 fish in streams around East Palestine, Ohio, has seeped into the Ohio River, leaving Louisville residents concerned about the safety of their drinking water and triggering shortages of bottled water. According to the Louisville Water Company, the city draws drinking water from both the Ohio River and groundwater. In nearby Cincinnati, water officials said while no detectable levels of the chemicals have been found, they will shut off Ohio River intake and rely on water reserves for a few days as the plume travels downstream. .