The 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River will continue to wait for a long-term plan for its management as negotiations between the seven states in the river basin remain stalled.
An unusual idea floated by the president of the Utah State Senate to get more shares of Colorado River water is intriguing California water officials. Utah’s Department of Natural Resources
An unusual idea floated by the president of the Utah State Senate to get more shares of Colorado River water is intriguing California water officials.
In an interview with FOX 13 News in May, Senate President J. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, proposed a novel idea: “We actually build desalination plants in California and trade them for the Colorado River water.”
In the negotiations over new agreements managing the Colorado River, the people involved in the high-stakes talks describe things as moving “slowly.”
The Colorado River Water Users Association’s annual meetings got underway here on Wednesday, with leaders from seven states, tribes, the federal government and the country of Mexico hoping to hammer out a deal before the current management agreements expire in 2026. The CRWUA meeting itself brings together stakeholders from all over to discuss issues facing the river that supplies water to more than 40 million people across the western United States.
It’s the holiday season, and for some of us, that can mean uncomfortable reunions and disagreements with family members. This week, there’s a family reunion of sorts in Las Vegas as the states that use the Colorado River get together in the middle of tense talks about how to share the shrinking water supply.
Instead of Christmas dinner, this reunion is the annual meeting of the Colorado River Water Users Association. Farmers, tribal leaders, city utility managers, environmentalists, scientists, journalists, and a host of other people will pack into a hotel ballroom at the Paris Hotel.
Water users in California have conserved enough water since 2022 to raise Lake Mead water levels by 16 feet — an effort that has provided temporary stability to the Nevada reservoir, as western states negotiate how to split the Colorado River’s dwindling water supply over the next decade.
Conservation measures implemented by California water regulators have collectively added more than 1.2 million acre-feet of water — the equivalent of 16 feet — to Lake Mead’s water storage, according to the Colorado River Board of California.
Californians reliant on the Colorado River have saved over 1.2 million acre-feet of water in just two years, potentially raising Lake Mead’s water levels by an estimated 16 feet.
This achievement, announced by the Colorado River Board of California on Wednesday, is a significant achievement given the worsening crisis unfolding along the Colorado River and its reservoirs.
Since winning the election, President-elect Donald Trump has been talking about immigration, border security and government efficiency.
But in California farm country, his comments about water are also getting top attention.
Our water supply is far from infinite. According to the UN, nearly 1.8 billion people are projected to live in areas with absolute water scarcity by 2025, and two-thirds of the world’s population could be living under water-stressed conditions.
If water becomes scarce or unavailable for an extended period, would you drink recycled sewage water?
Colorado River water users in California have together voluntarily conserved more than 1.2 million acre-feet of water in just two years, adding the water to Lake Mead to help stabilize the reservoir during historic drought conditions, according to figures released Wed. Dec.4, according to a recent CRBC press release.
The achievements, reported during a meeting of the Colorado River Board of California (CRBC) during this year’s Colorado River Water Users Association’s conference, result from the implementation of a series of conservation agreements in 2023 and 2024, along with agencies storing conserved water in Lake Mead. The agreements involve the Bard Water District, Coachella Valley Water District, Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, Imperial Irrigation District, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Palo Verde Irrigation District, San Diego County Water Authority, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
