Everything you need to know about the new federal report on the Colorado River’s future

Federal Colorado River plan puts focus on Lake Powell’s future

A new federal plan released Friday, July 31, could shape how the Colorado River is managed for the next decade, with significant implications for Lake Powell and Glen Canyon Dam.The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation released its Final Environmental Impact Statement outlining proposed operating rules for the Colorado River system from 2027 through 2036. The plan comes after years of negotiations failed to produce a consensus among the seven Colorado Riv…

Everything you need to know about the new federal report on the Colorado River’s future

Colorado water officials knew that they and the three other Upper Basin states would likely be asked to conserve Colorado River water under a new plan spanning the next decade. Now they know the target amount: up to 200,000 acre-feet,…

The Legislature may need to call a special session after all

By Reagan Priest | State Affairs Gov. Katie Hobbs isn’t ready to call lawmakers back to the Capitol, but she says a special session will be needed once the federal government releases its next Colorado River decision. Hobbs told reporters Tuesday that the Legislature will likely need to sign off on the Bureau of Reclamation’s Record of Decision (ROD), which will establish temporary operating guidelines for the Colorado River through 2028. The fe…

As the Colorado River Basin endures a historic drought, officials offer incentives to conserve water

Government officials are taking a new approach to help preserve the Colorado River by asking the public to do its part.Since 2000, the Colorado River Basin has experienced a severe, historic drought, affecting the regional water supply and other essential resources.According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the Colorado River Basin has experienced its lowest 16-year period of inflow in more than 100 years of recordkeeping.In response to the growin…