The Colorado River has more dams on it than any other river in the United States. They were built to harness water high in the mountains and across the arid desert so people could build cities, industries and farms. But the visionaries of the past didn't account for the kind of population growth the southwest has experienced, and they didn't make a plan for what to do if there wasn't enough water to go around. Now, as the region suffers through a second decade of a mega drought, residents are scrambling to find solutions that will preserve their way of life. Today on The Sunday Story from Up First, we head to Las Vegas, where water conservation has a new starring role. This episode comes from a new podcast from Colorado Public Radio and reporter Michael Elizabeth Sakas. It's called Parched.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy