Western U.S. snowpack is worth trillions of dollars

The Colorado River, which supplies drinking water to tens of millions of people and irrigates vast croplands, is primarily driven by snowmelt. The river generated an estimated $1.4 trillion in annual economic activity, according to a 2014 report commissioned by Protect the Flows, a business coalition, and conducted by Arizona State University. Adjusted only for inflation—not the region’s growth—that figure was equivalent to about $1.9 trillion in 2025, underscoring the high stakes of the ongoing, contentious negotiations over how to manage the Colorado River.

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https://waterdesk.org/2026/02/western-u-s-snowpack-is-worth-trillions-of-dollars/?mc_cid=de164a8266&mc_eid=09d267fb36