Mississippi has its share of problems. No surprise there. But given what’s going on in some Western states, we should at least get credit for one thing: We’re not running out of water.

The Colorado Basin is in its 23rd year of drought, according to The Why Axis website. That has dramatically lowered the levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest reservoirs in the United States that supply water to California, Arizona and Nevada — states with large areas that don’t get a whole lot of rainfall.

The two gigantic lakes are down to 28% of their capacity. And the surface level of Lake Mead, which provides drinking water to 25 million people along with water for industry, agriculture and electricity generation, seems to be dropping by the month.

In 2020 the lake’s level was 120 feet lower than it was in 2000. But in the past 2½ years it has fallen another 60 feet. If the lake level declines another 146 feet, it will not have enough water to produce electricity at the Hoover Dam, since the water would be too low to reach any outlets and flow downstream.

The problem is land that’s being used for farming even though it’s in an arid location.

At a Senate hearing last month, an official with a Nevada water authority noted that 80% of water from the Colorado River is diverted for agricultural use.

Western water officials believe — or hope — that a couple of above-average snow seasons along the upper Colorado River would help replenish the two reservoirs. And it is true that at some point, the drought will end.

But until that happens, Western states are going to have to figure out ways to use a lot less water, or else recycle more of it for agriculture. Or, if they’re piping it from Nevada to California, maybe they can figure out a cost-effective way to turn plentiful ocean brine into fresh water and use that for farming.

States in the southwestern part of America obviously have plenty to offer. That’s why millions of people have moved there to live over the past several decades. But without a steady water supply, whether for residences, businesses or farms, economies will be limited.