With the effects of the drought in the Western United States becoming more and more worrisome, scientists are attempting to take matters into their own hands to find a solution to overcome the water deficit. Since no end seems to be in sight, they are turning to technological innovation for a way to combat the abysmal rainfall.

One method involves attempting to alter weather patterns to induce regional precipitation. It is not an unprecedented concept. Beijing used cloud seeding technology to inhibit rainfall over the area in 2008 during the Summer Olympics. The question now is simple. How do we reverse that concept and create precipitation? Scientists are searching for that answer and have arrived at some possibilities, including flooding Death Valley with sea water to provide an extra area where clouds could form and produce rain.

Other ideas include desalination of seawater on a large scale and a push for the “toilet to tap” concept of water reuse, which was recently explored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. View the video below to learn more about what engineers are doing to make water reuse possible.

There is no doubt that our drought solutions need improvement. In fact, NASA has predicted what they are calling a “megadrought,” which could occur as soon as 2050 and last up to 30 years, turning much of the United States into barren desert land. With this daunting threat looming over the heads of US citizens, scientists recognize the importance of drought alleviation research and are working to find a way to combat drastic water shortages for the present circumstances and for the future.