Amid 'Dire Situation' for Colorado River Basin, Headwater States Say They Can't Cut Water They Don't Have

Amid 'dire situation' for Colorado River Basin, headwater states say they can't cut water they don't have

Under pressure to strike a compromise on water cuts, and amid talk of litigation, Wyoming and other upper Colorado River Basin states are pointing to the climate-driven disaster unfolding in the West to insist they can’t cut what Mother Nature isn’t providing in the headwaters. While some observers suspect that argument is cover for withholding more cuts in water use, the upper-basin contingency insists it has negotiated in good faith and still …

‘The situation is dire’: Lake Powell is heading for a record low as Colorado River states remain deadlocked

After a record low snowpack, Colorado River states face a near-term crisis at Lake Powell and an ongoing stalemate over longterm plans. "The stakes have never been higher," said one state negotiator.

Officials issue warning as iconic American lake suffers from record warm winter

Lake Powell's ongoing water crisis is causing a messy interstate fight over one of the few reservoirs with healthy water levels. What's happening? Wyoming Public Radio reported on the stalemate pitting Wyoming and its fellow upper Colorado River Basin states versus the lower basin states in releasing water from Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As The Salt Lake Tribune noted, that reservoir is at 64% capacity, which stands out as one of the better levels…

The ship needs a captain: A call for leadership in the Colorado River Basin

By Page Buono and Sinjin Eberle AMERICAN RIVERS The situation is clear: the precipitation outlook in the Colorado River Basin is dire, the river cannot sustain the demands placed on it, and this year we’re likely to face unprecedented management decisions with potentially catastrophic consequences. Despite decades of warnings and years of negotiations, there remains no clear blueprint for how the