Why doesn't the media focus on news like this, FEMA: National Situation Update: Monday, June 21, 2004

US Western Drought Now Worst on Record
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assesses the current drought gripping the western U.S. as the worst and most widespread in 500 years and that its effects in the Colorado River basin considerably worse than during the Dust Bowl years of the 1930s. According to USGS, the Colorado River has been in a drought for the entire decade, cutting an important source of water for millions of people across the West, including Southern California. The USGS report stated that the drought has produced the lowest flow in the Colorado River on record, with an adjusted annual average flow of only 5.4 million acre-feet during 2001-2003.

By comparison, during the Dust Bowl years between 1930 and 1937, the annual flow averaged about 10.2 million acre-feet. Although USGS was uncertain on the duration of the drought, most droughts seldom persist for longer than a decade and that would mean the current drought is only half over.

However, there are indications suggesting that this drought could persist for as long as 30 years. Drought is one of the most complicated and least understood of all natural hazards. Floods and hurricanes are by contrast, more easily visible. However, in comparison of the three hazards, droughts characteristics set it apart and have an equally high toll. Deaths in the US associated with drought are usually related to heat waves and heat stress. FEMA estimates that drought costs the US $6-8 billion dollars annually. Most cost is attributed to crop and other direct and indirect losses, as well as other variables. In contrast, the average cost of floods is $2.41 billion and hurricanes is $1.2-4.8 billion annually. (USGS, Media Sources)