Seven States Near Colorado River Deadline
Federal officials want a consensus by Feb. 14 on a 20-year plan to prevent hydropower and reservoir failures as Lake Powell and Lake Mead sit near historic lows.
Overview
Federal officials have told the seven basin states they want a consensus on a 20-year plan by Feb. 14 to replace dam-operating guidelines that expire later in 2026.
Experts say mountain headwaters have about half as much snow as usual, and Lake Powell is at 26% full while Lake Mead is a little over one-third full, straining hydropower and storage.
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said on Feb. 2 she will not accept further cuts without meaningful, measurable, mandatory reductions from the Upper Basin, and governors met at the Department of Interior on Jan. 30.
The 1922 compact allots 7.5 million acre-feet to each basin, experts say up to 4 million acre-feet of cuts may be needed, and proposals include an initial 500,000-acre-foot release with Arizona seeking 2.5 million acre-feet.
If no consensus emerges, Interior may impose a federal plan and negotiators are considering a short-term deal of up to five years while talks continue on a longer solution.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the coverage neutrally: they set facts (deadlines, reservoir levels, legal consequences), attribute evaluative claims to officials, and include both Upper- and Lower-Basin perspectives. Editorial language stays restrained, and specific examples—Gov. Hobbs’s quoted condition, negotiators’ optimism, and the Interior’s fallback option—support balanced reporting.
Sources (3)
FAQ
The seven basin states are the Upper Basin states (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) and the Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, Nevada).
Lake Powell is at 26% full and Lake Mead is a little over one-third full, straining hydropower and storage.[story]
Federal officials want a consensus on a 20-year plan by Feb. 14 to replace expiring 2026 guidelines; if no consensus, the Interior may impose a federal plan, potentially leading to lawsuits.[story][4]
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs insists on meaningful, measurable, mandatory reductions from the Upper Basin before accepting further cuts; Upper Basin has not proposed mandatory cutbacks while Lower Basin has.[story][4]
The 1922 compact allots 7.5 million acre-feet to each basin annually; experts say up to 4 million acre-feet of cuts may be needed overall, with proposals like an initial 500,000-acre-foot release and Arizona seeking 2.5 million.[story]
History
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