Sidebar: The dry, dry West

First, we dive into Arizona's relationship with the Colorado River and hear about the shrinking lifeline that provides water to 40 million people in the American West. Farmers there have been the first to feel the impacts of the dehydrated planet.

Then we face California's wildfires – a fact of life in the Golden State that is no longer limited to a season or the forested areas.

Last, we break down why the drought is here to stay and how it's playing out in real time on the West Coast.

Special guests:

• Amir AghaKouchak, professor of civil and environmental engineering at UC Irvine
• Sharon Megdal, director of the Water Resources Research Center at the University of Arizona
• Fraser Shilling, environmental science professor at UC Davis
• Doug Parker, director of the California Institute for Water Resources

Sidebar tackles the top stories you need to know from the legal world. Join reporters Bianca Bruno, Nicholas Iovino, Amanda Pampuro and Nina Pullano as they take you in and out of courtrooms in the U.S. and beyond and break down developments to help you understand how they affect your day-to-day life.

This episode was produced by Kirk McDaniel. Music by The Dead Pens, Uniq, SOMM, Mattia Vlad Morleo and KV. A transcript of this episode is available.

Editorial staff is Bill Dotinga, Sean Duffy and Jamie Ross. Big thanks to Brad Poole, Matthew Renda and Nick Cahill.

For more of Brad's coverage of the water shortage along the Colorado River:

-- Feds confirm Colorado River shortage, water-allocation cuts coming in 2022

-- Tribal influence over Arizona water growing

-- Colorado River shortage to hit Central Arizona farmers hardest

To read Matthew's fire reporting:

-- Massive Caldor Fire inching toward Lake Tahoe

-- 100,000-acre Caldor Fire bears down on mountain town

-- Monster wildfire turns California mountain town to rubble

And Nick Cahill's stories on the California drought:

-- California farmers to lose access to the state’s largest watershed as drought worsens

-- Californians growing more anxious about water supply, drought and wildfires

-- Newsom Urges Residents, Businesses and Farmers to Cut Water Use Amid Drought

Follow Sidebar and Courthouse News on Twitter.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit