The Colorado River begins in the Rocky Mountain snowpack, which provides the water that starts off the river on its epic journey. But as the American West gets hotter, that snowpack keeps getting smaller and smaller.

Today, the second in our six-part special on the future of this vital waterway. New episodes will publish every Friday through Feb. 10. Follow the project here. Read the full transcript here.

Host: Gustavo Arellano

Guests: L.A. Times water reporter Ian James and L.A. Times video journalist Albert Lee 

More reading:

Our full Colorado River series

Listen to the first episode in this series, “Colorado River in Crisis, Pt. 1: A Dying River”

Video: The Colorado River is drying up. Climate change and drought have taken a major toll.