If it were up to me, the weather would be hot and sunny every day.

Good thing it’s not up to me. Earth needs rain and snow.

Without a reliable supply of water, we would have nothing to drink, nothing to sustain our crops. Swimming pools would be empty. Lawns would have no grass. Electricity would be expensive. Plants would die; animals would follow.

During a drought, wetlands such as this area in Colorado could disappear, threatening the lives of many animals.

Robert Sanders, Ducks Unlimited/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Such a water shortage may sound extreme, but it’s happening right now in parts of the western United States. An area called the…. (more)

By Emily Sohn
Science News For Kids