Rising Temperatures And Drought Conditions Intensify Water Shortage For Navajo Nation
THOREAU, NEW MEXICO - JUNE 06: A tap drips water at a spigot on land of the Navajo Nation in the town of Thoreau on June 06, 2019 in Thoreau, New Mexico. Due to disputed water rights and other factors, up to 40 percent of Navajo Nation households don’t have clean running water and are forced to rely on weekly and daily visits to water pumps. The problem for the Navajo Nation, a population of over 200,000 and the largest federally-recognized sovereign tribe in the U.S., is so significant that generations of families have never experienced indoor plumbing. Rising temperatures associated with global warming have worsened drought conditions on their lands over recent decades. The reservation consists of a 27,000-square-mile area of desert and high plains in New Mexico, southern Utah and Arizona. The Navajo Water Project, a nonprofit from the water advocacy group Dig Deep, has been working on Navajo lands in New Mexico since 2013 funding a mobile water delivery truck and digging and installing water tanks to individual homes. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The United States is currently expecting another summer of wildfires as several parts of the Western side of the country emerged from one of the driest winter seasons ever recorded, and the possibility of entering a 'mega-drought.'

The possible mega-drought could be triggered by a combination of a natural dry cycle and climate change, which is caused by humans.

According to the Independent, scientists have issued warnings of an increased risk of wildfires in places such as California and other areas of the Western U.S. They cited that a region where wildfires are common is definitely at risk, especially following a winter with extremely dry conditions. Scientists described the possible mega-drought as the second-worst drought for 1,200 years.

Moreover, following the analysis of the U.S. Drought Monitor and warnings, CBS News reported that the Western U.S. will be at the front of the world in battling against climate change. The region was placed on top of the list of regions fighting against climate change as it is on the verge of experiencing 'mega-drought.' The consequences of climate change are thought to have started in 2000, when severe droughts and wildfires were also recorded.

In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) showed figures that were responsible for the two worst droughts in 2003 and 2013. However, the figures for 2020-2021 are more alarming due to the scope of the area that will experience drought. It is estimated 20% wider, which is a huge addition in just a span of 20 years.

Meanwhile, a professor at the only wildfire research center in the state, Craig Clements, shared that the lack of rain this season has severely impacted the moisture of the ground and its ability to catch alight. Based on the U.S. Drought Monitor, around 60% of Western states are currently under severe, extreme, or exceptional drought. Even reservoirs in the regions are already at half of their operating capacity.

Clements also added that the current conditions could be worsened if there will be a lightning event. Also, scientists argue that it could end with permanent drought in the Western U.S. region. It could soon become a place that cannot recover from the recurring dry winters and summers.

Letter to Biden

U.S. President Joe Biden is currently urged by hundreds of companies to cut the greenhouse gas emissions of the country by not less than 50% by end of the decade, compared to 2005 levels.

In an open letter, powerhouse companies which include Apple, General Electric, Google, Lyft, Facebook, Microsoft, National Grid, Starbucks, Verizon, and Unilever, made a rare public stance, asking to restore the standing of the U.S. as a global leader battling against climate crisis.

The letter emphasized that millions of Americans are already feeling the impacts of climate change. The recent extreme weather and the deadly wildfires are just some of the profound effects of the climate crisis, which caused economic losses as well. The letter also cited that the most affected individuals are those who belong in the marginalized and low-income communities, the Associated Press reported.

WATCH: Scientists predicting historic dry summer for much of the U.S. - CBS News