The West’s first major water crisis has arrived

The cost of the US's megadrought, Emily Ratajkowski's new essay collection, and the expansion of areas protected from ICE arrests

OCTOBER 28, 2021 THE BIG STORY   People in Arizona are about to face the West's first major water crisis Aerials of large-scale irrigation operations happening in Cochise County. Caitlin Ochs for BuzzFeed News The Colorado River is Arizona's largest renewable water source, providing 36% of the state's supply each year.   But a 22-year megadrought and growing demands across the Colorado River Basin have depleted the river and triggered the first-ever federally declared water shortages. For Arizona, this means a 20% cut to its Colorado River water supply starting in 2022 — and a glimpse of future drastic water shortages for all states relying on the river.   The Arizona shortage falls hardest on farmers in its central valley. About 70% of the water Arizona receives from the Colorado River is used for agriculture, and some scientists and policymakers worry that using groundwater to compensate for shortages will result in pumping the land dry.   "People really need to understand groundwater is a finite resource," said Kathleen Ferris, a researcher and former policymaker who spent 45 years developing groundwater legislation in Arizona. "Once it's gone, it's gone." STAYING ON TOP OF THIS   Biden officials plan to expand the list of places where immigration agents would be limited from making arrests The Biden administration issued a new policy on Wednesday that expands the locations where ICE officers and border agents will be limited from making arrests, according to a memo issued by the Department of Homeland Security.   While ICE officers have for years been largely restricted from making arrests at schools and hospitals, the new list includes locations such as domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, and playgrounds, among other locations. The memo also renames the policy to "protected areas" from the previous iteration of "sensitive locations," and doesn't include an exception for arrests at the border. It does, however, allow for arrests in certain circumstances, like the existence of a national security threat. SNAPSHOTS   The armorer on Rust said she made sure there weren't "hot" rounds in the gun that killed Halyna Hutchins, new records show. According to armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, ammunition was left out unsecured on a cart during a lunch break, and only a few people had access to the safe combination where the gun was kept.   Katie Couric's memoir actually goes there. Her memoir is an often-thoughtful look at Couric's decadeslong career, tackling the ways she — and women of her generation — felt boxed in by gendered demands for relatability, even as she benefited from being able to meet that demand. Angelina Jolie awkwardly swerved a probing question about her rumored relationship with The Weeknd after they were spotted having dinner together. Here's a quick timeline of their friendship for those of you who still may be wondering how this unlikely pairing came about. MY BODY   Emily Ratajkowski's new book tests the limits of self-awareness BuzzFeed News / Macmillan, Getty Images "If there's a question driving [Emily] Ratajkowski's culture study into herself, it would be: Did I have control over my own career and how I see myself? And I'm not sure she's found the answer," Scaachi Koul writes in her review of Ratajkowski's new essay collection My Body.   While the book wrestles with cutting truths on the sexuality and sexualization of women, it also "highlights the limits of this kind of self-awareness," says Koul. "You can analyze your experiences and the factors that led to your success, but then what? Would it mean turning down opportunities offered merely because of the privilege beauty brings? Knowing how the deck is stacked for or against you is one thing; doing something about it is another." IMAGES THAT CHANGE A LIFE   These are the iconic images that defined a Teen Vogue editor's career We asked former Teen Vogue editor and Them founder Phillip Picardi to share the magazine covers and other inspiration that shaped his editorial career.   The images he listed run the gamut from first-of-its-kind queer representation to 17th century religious iconography. Scroll through a few of the images below, and take a look at the full list when you want to see the magazine world through fresh eyes.   Jennifer Aniston's Cover of Vanity Fair Cover image by Mario Testino "It was the first time I realized that journalism wasn't just a newspaper, and that storytelling could really be amplified when you know what visual elements to incorporate to really build your narrative."    Out's Boot Licking Shoot Hao Zeng "It is hardly the most revolutionary thing we'd ever run, but looking back, I do appreciate that our team was always able to find space for pleasure — especially 'deviant' pleasure — amidst all the other work we were doing. Above all, I think the photos are sexy, dignified, and still feel like art, which is absolutely the result of a beautiful collaboration between Hao Zeng and Yashua."   The Rider-Waite Tarot Deck Getty Images   "Lately, I've realized that I prefer to live my life believing that there's more to all of this than just a bunch of happy coincidences or luck. I'd like to believe there's something more." The world is your oyster! Make a pearl, Alexa Correction: Wednesday's edition of Incoming had the incorrect signature. Alexa wrote that newsletter, not Elamin. Apologies about the confusion — although it was only Wednesday it had already been quite the long week. 📝  This letter was edited and brought to you by Alexa Lee and BuzzFeed News. You can always reach us here.     👉 Your support of BuzzFeed's journalism does not constitute a charitable donation, and your contribution is not eligible for a tax-deduction. 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