America’s Lakes Are Shrinking. Data Centers Are Being Built Nearby

Key Points:

• Iconic lakes and reservoirs in the American West, including the Great Salt Lake, Lake Mead, and Lake Powell, are shrinking due to drought, water diversions, and rising temperatures, exacerbating regional water stress.
• States leading AI infrastructure growth like Utah, Arizona, and Nevada face challenges balancing water-intensive data center development with existing water shortages, as cooling systems in data centers require substantial water use.
• Experts emphasize that while data centers consume less water than agriculture overall, their localized impact on smaller municipal water systems can be significant, necessitating careful evaluation of water availability and quality risks.
• Environmental advocates and researchers call for increased transparency and regulatory reporting on water and energy use by data centers to ensure sustainable management amid the West’s escalating water crisis.
• The intersection of rapid AI-driven economic growth and critical water scarcity highlights a complex policy challenge: supporting technological advancement without further depleting vulnerable water resources in the region.