Colorado River Basin
News from the Colorado River Basin region, covering about 246,000 square miles, including parts of the seven basin states of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, plus Mexico.
The Water News Network is San Diego County’s source for water news and information.
Reclamation Announces 2024 Operating Conditions for Lake Powell and Lake Mead
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed Joyce /U.S. Bureau of ReclamationThe Bureau of Reclamation on August 15, released the Colorado River Basin August 2023 24-Month Study, which determines the tiers for the coordinated operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead for 2024. These operating conditions, which are based on existing agreements under the 2007 guidelines and lower basin Drought Contingency Plans, will be in effect […]
Above-Average Snowpack Will Raise Lake Mead, Buy Time for Collaboration
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceA federal report released April 20 says near-record snowpack in the Colorado River Basin could raise the elevation of Lake Mead by more than 20 feet by the end of the year, providing a critical opportunity for water agencies to improve long-term management of the river. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s report shows vastly improved […]
Water Authority Supports Talks on Fed Draft Colorado River Proposal
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority supports a consensus-based approach for long-term solutions to water supply issues in the Colorado River Basin. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on April 11 released a draft environmental document that considers changes to near-term operations on the Colorado River, including potential reductions in water supplies for California and across […]
Is the San Diego-Imperial Model Part of the Solution for Colorado River Woes?
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed Joyce /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Michael Smolens Mentioned: San Diego County Water AuthorityIn a sense, the record string of storms that hit California created two lakes — one real and one hypothetical. The deluges re-established Tulare Lake, once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River that was drained long ago for agriculture and municipal water demands.
San Diego County Water Authority Hosts Colorado River Board of California
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority will host water leaders from throughout Southern California March 15 for the monthly meeting of the Colorado River Board of California. On March 14, before the formal meeting, CRB board members will tour projects in the region that promote water resiliency. The CRB will consider the complex water supply […]
California Water Agencies Submit Colorado River Modeling Framework to Bureau of Reclamation
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceCalifornia water agencies that rely on the Colorado River on January 31, proposed a modeling framework for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to evaluate as it considers actions to help stabilize reservoir elevations and protect critical infrastructure to ensure the Colorado River system can continue to support 40 million people, nearly 6 million acres of […]
Director Jim Madaffer Elected Vice Chair of the Colorado River Board of California
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceSan Diego County Water Authority Board Member Jim Madaffer has been elected vice chair of the Colorado River Board of California. The CRB represents California in river management discussions with other Basin states, federal agencies, tribes, and Mexico. Madaffer, the Water Authority’s CRB representative since 2019, will serve a four-year term as vice chair following […]
Colorado River Compact: As Colorado River Flows Drop and Tensions Rise, Water Interests Struggle to Find Solutions That All Can Accept
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed Joyce /Western Water (Water Education Foundation)by Nick CahillWhen the Colorado River Compact was signed 100 years ago, the negotiators for seven Western states bet that the river they were dividing would have ample water to meet everyone’s needs – even those not seated around the table. A century later, it’s clear the water they bet on is not there. More than two […]
Water Agencies Unite and Commit to Reducing Demands on Colorado River
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceRecognizing that a reliable water supply is critical to all economies and communities relying on the drought-stricken Colorado River Basin, more than 30 water agencies and providers have committed to take additional actions to reducing water demands and helping protect the Colorado River system. Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that was delivered to the […]
Collaboration Key to Stabilizing Colorado River Basin Decline
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceCollaboration among all water users is key to developing solutions for the Colorado River Basin, which is in the midst of a 22-year megadrought. That was one of the common themes during a webinar Thursday, in which water managers and other officials discussed ways to slow or stabilize the rate of decline of the major […]
Drought and Water Supply: A Year in Review
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceDrought and water supply in the Southwest U.S. dominated the water news in 2021, from the Colorado River Basin to California. COVID-19 continued its grasp on all aspects of life in 2021. Even in the face of the pandemic, the work of providing water as an essential service continued for every agency with the responsibility […]
Water Authority Offers Help to Regions in Need During Drought
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors April 22 authorized staff to explore opportunities to help other water districts weather an emerging drought across California. Three decades of investments in supply reliability, along with a continued emphasis on water-use efficiency, mean the San Diego region has sufficient water supplies for multiple dry years. […]
Board Approves Next Phase of Regional Water Conveyance System Study
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority’s Board of Directors today authorized staff to launch the next phase of a study assessing options for long-term water deliveries to sustain the region’s economy and quality of life. The decision follows months of community dialogue about Phase A of the Regional Conveyance System Study, which was released in […]
Water Authority to Host Public Session on Economics of Regional Conveyance Study
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceThe San Diego County Water Authority will host an online public information session on Oct. 27 about economic considerations related to the proposed Regional Conveyance System. The virtual event will run from 10 a.m. to noon. To reserve a spot, email . Meeting participants can: Learn about alternatives the Water Authority Board of Directors is […]
Draft Study Highlights Region’s Water Conveyance Options
/in Colorado River Basin, News /by Ed JoyceA draft report released today by the San Diego County Water Authority shows that building a new conveyance system to transport regional water supplies from the Colorado River Quantification Settlement Agreement is cost-competitive with other long-term options for meeting the region’s water needs. The draft Phase A report is under review by water officials across […]