[PaulDavisThe1st]

> The southwest is structurally unsustainable

Nope. Agriculture in the southwest is structurally unsustainable, that's all.

Of course, for California, that has enormous consequences, but then say California, not "the southwest".

[rayiner]

None of it is sustainable without diverting Colorado River water. Human habitation alone might be below what you can currently get out of the river, but who knows what climate change will do to that.

[PaulDavisThe1st]

I don't believe that this is true. Colorado diversions might be currently used for residential purposes, but only because so much other water is used by agriculture. I'm fairly certain (though not completely certain) that AZ, NM in particular could support their residential populations with no Colorado diversions at all.