Negotiations Moving Slowly in New Deals Governing the Colorado River

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.