"The persistence of the drought conditions, in the Colorado River basin especially, is essentially unprecedented in human history," John Fleck, author of "Water is for Fighting Over," said.

A megadrought, which can last more than three decades, is increasingly likely in the region due to climate change.

News you don't want to miss for April 16:

1. As if you didn't have enough to worry about, but California may be heading toward a historic drought, the type that has only occurred four times in the past 1,200 years, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.…

As if we weren’t in enough of a pickle, a new study claims that the western U.S. is in the midst of a megadrought affected by climate change.[...]

A two-decade-long dry spell that has parched much of the western United States is turning into one of the deepest 'megadroughts' of the past 1,200 years.

A new study of ancient climate has a dire warning about today's dry conditions

Parts of the US and Mexico have been plagued by a severe drought since 2000, making it the worse one in the past 1,200 years and experts warn it could progress as a megadrought.