Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/colorado-river-stalemate-urgent-call-for-shared-cutbacks-across-all-basin-states/
Negotiations Collapse Amid Deadline Pressure (Image Credits: Unsplash)
Colorado River Basin – Reservoir levels in Lakes Powell and Mead continued their alarming decline in early 2026, prompting failed negotiations among seven states and renewed demands for equitable water reductions overseen by the Interior Department.[1][2]
Negotiations Collapse Amid Deadline Pressure
The seven Colorado River Basin states missed a critical federal deadline on February 14, 2026, for agreeing on post-2026 water management guidelines. Previous talks had already faltered in November 2025. Existing agreements, including the 2007 Interim Guidelines and 2019 Drought Contingency Plans, expire at the end of 2026.[1]
Officials cited persistent disagreements over shortage sharing as the core impasse. The 1922 Colorado River Compact over-allocated the river, which now delivers far less due to prolonged drought and climate shifts. Recent snowpack offered little relief, with forecasts at 38 percent of normal and Lake Powell inflows projected at just 2.4 million acre-feet this year.[1]
Lower Basin Steps Up with Major Concessions
Arizona, California, and Nevada proposed steep voluntary cuts to their allocations. Arizona offered a 27 percent reduction, California 10 percent, and Nevada nearly 17 percent. These moves aimed to secure 1.5 million acre-feet or more in annual conservation, building on prior efforts that conserved over 3.7 million acre-feet by late 2025.[1][3]
Governors Katie Hobbs, Gavin…
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-23 17:58:00
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