Trump Admin Urges Colorado River Deal Among States, but Warns It Will Step in if Necessary

Colorado River Basin states inch forward in high-stakes negotiations as deadlines loom

Colorado River Basin states are almost, sort of, close to a small compromise in their negotiations that focuses on matching reservoir releases more closely to the river’s actual flow. Colorado water watchers seem to be rolling with it — so far.  Top negotiators in Colorado and six basin states offered a glimpse into the high-stakes talks for the first time in months during several water meetings this week. The states are negotiating how to manag…

Senate approves Colorado River Conservation Extension Act

DENVER (KDVR) — U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper's bipartisan Colorado River Basin System Conservation Extension Act was passed in the Senate, aiming to extend the System Conservation Pilot Program that allows for water conservation projects to oversee drought conditions on the Colorado River. The bill was initially passed in the Senate in 2024, but was delayed in the House, leading to the reintroduction of the bill in 2025, since it needs to pass th…

Arizona water chief seeks federal action on Colorado River

‘We stand on the brink of system failure’: Feds up pressure for states to reach deal on the future of the Colorado River

The Colorado River’s four Upper Basin state commissioners further embraced the idea of a “divorce” with their Lower Basin neighbors.

Colorado River managers present plan to share water based on supply, not demand

The seven states that share the Colorado River are floating a new concept for how water could be shared in the future, marking forward progress after a long standoff between the Upper Basin and Lower Basin states.  Officials from Colorado laid out the proposal, which they are calling a supply-driven approach, at a meeting of the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) in Grand Junction on Wednesday.  The amount of water released from Lake Powell wou…

Colorado River managers present plan to share water based on supply, not demand - Aspen Journalism

The seven states that share the Colorado River are floating a new concept for how water could be shared in the future, marking forward progress after a long standoff between the Upper Basin and Lower Basin states.  Officials from Colorado laid out the proposal, which they are calling a supply-driven approach, at a meeting of the Interbasin Compact Committee (IBCC) in Grand Junction on Wednesday.  The amount of water released from Lake Powell wou…