Amazon Taps Industry Partners for Colorado River Basin Water Fund

Amazon has launched the Colorado River Basin Collaborative to fund water projects across the basin and encourage other organizations to join. The goal is to raise $100 million over the next two years, with Amazon contributing $20 million so far.

The collaborative effort aims to address the severe water shortage in the region, which has been exacerbated by a 25-year megadrought. According to an Amazon press release, the river's largest reservoirs are below 30% of capacity, and there is a gap between supply and demand of roughly 1 trillion gallons per year.

The basin supplies water to 40 million people and irrigates over 5 million acres of farmland, making it essential for supporting communities. Amazon's water sustainability lead, Will Hewes, emphasized that no single company can solve the issue alone and that an industry-wide effort is necessary.