Tag Archive for: Colorado River

Reclamation Drought Plan Would Nix Environmental Reviews

/in , , /by /E&E News (Washington, D.C.)by Jeremy P. Jacobs

As the Trump administration moves toward a drought contingency plan for the Colorado River, the Bureau of Reclamation is pushing legislation that would exempt its work from environmental reviews. That includes potential impacts on what has emerged as a major sticking point in the drought negotiations: Southern California’s Salton Sea, a public health and ecological disaster. Draft legislation obtained by E&E News would authorize the Interior secretary to implement the drought plan “notwithstanding any other provision of law” and “without delay.”

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Two California Water Agencies Battling Over Colorado River Drought Plan

/in , , /by /KQED (San Francisco)by Felicia Fonseca and Jonathan J. Cooper

A major Southern California water agency is trying to push the state through a final hurdle in joining a larger plan to preserve a key river in the U.S. West that serves 40 million people. Most of the seven states that get water from the Colorado River have signed off on plans to keep the waterway from crashing amid a prolonged drought, climate change and increased demands. But California and Arizona have not, missing deadlines from the federal government.

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Calif. Joins Colorado River Drought Management Plan To Sustain Lake Mead

/in , /by /Las Vegas NOWby Orko Manna

California has officially joined a multi-state agreement to sustain water levels at lake mead. But despite the promise of progress, Lake Mead is still bracing for the worst and plans to move a marina further out into the water. One of the marinas at Callville Bay at Lake Mead needs to be moved, but in order for that to happen, the power has to be shut off. NV Energy crews de-energized the marinas Thursday to make a move possible. “The marina that’s right down here, we call it Marina 3,” said Rod Taylor, the vice president of Forever Resorts. Rod Taylor operates the marinas.  He says all of the action is in the face of water woes.

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California Agencies Dispute Colorado River Drought Plan

/in , /by /The Associated Press by Felicia Fonseca and Jonathan J. Cooper

A major Southern California water agency is trying to push the state through a final hurdle in joining a larger plan to preserve a key river in the U.S. West that serves 40 million people. Most of the seven states that get water from the Colorado River have signed off on plans to keep the waterway from crashing amid a prolonged drought, climate change and increased demands. But California and Arizona have not, missing deadlines from the federal government.

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Plan To Protect Colorado River Still Isn’t Done. Now What?

/in , /by /The Associated Press

Another federal deadline passed Monday for seven states in the U.S. West to wrap up work on a plan to ensure the drought-stricken Colorado River can deliver water to the 40 million people and farms that depend on it. The states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — have been working for years on drought contingency plans. But Arizona and California have missed two deadlines set by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and still have work to do.

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Southwest Governors Asked To Submit Colorado River Comments As Another ‘Deadline’ Passes, States Get An Extension

/in , /by /The Nevada Independent (Las Vegas)

The federal government initiated a comment period today for the seven states in the Colorado River Basin, after Arizona and California were unable to agree on a Southwest drought plan by a second “deadline” of March 4. The Department of Interior is now giving the governors of the seven states, including Nevada, 15 days to offer recommendations on how federal water managers should proceed if the states can’t agree to a drought plan that they have been negotiating for years.

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OPINION: We Can Plan For A ‘Leaner’ Colorado River As We Save The Salton Sea

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Ted Kowalski

Over the past five years, the seven Colorado River Basin states have been working to develop a series of drought contingency plans (DCPs) to safeguard water levels at Lake Mead. Responding to a 19-year drought, leaders throughout the basin are at last close to finalizing the agreements necessary to bolster conservation and safeguard water levels on the river. The DCPs will ensure that the Colorado River basin can balance water supplies and demands in a way that supports a healthy river and environment. The future of the Colorado River depends on the conservation and flexibility within the DCP agreements.

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LA Offers To Supply Water Instead Of IID To Get Colorado River Drought Plan Across The Finish Line

/in , /by /The Desert Sun (Palm Springs)by Janet Wilson

With a Monday deadline looming, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has offered to break an impasse on a seven-state Colorado River drought contingency package by contributing necessary water from its own reserves on behalf of the Imperial Irrigation District. It’s not help that IID is seeking, but Metropolitan general manager Jeffrey Kightlinger said he had no choice.

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Gila River Indian Community Moves Ahead With Colorado River Drought Plan After Clash With Lawmaker

/in , /by /Arizona Central (Phoenix)by Ian James

Arizona’s efforts to finish a Colorado River drought plan are moving forward after leaders of the Gila River Indian Community announced that they will proceed with their piece of the deal. The community’s leader, Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, had threatened to pull out of the agreement if the Legislature didn’t drop a bill that he said would undermine the community’s water rights under a hard-fought settlement.

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Arizona, Other Western States Unlikely To Meet Colorado River Drought Plan Deadline

/in , /by /Arizona Daily Star (Tucson)by Tony Davis

The odds are looking increasingly poor that Arizona and other Western states will meet a March 4 federal deadline for wrapping up Colorado River drought plans. That’s not just because of the ongoing conflict over a now-shelved water rights bill for Eastern Arizona that prompted a threat from the Gila River Indian Community to bolt this state’s drought plan. It’s also not just because of a Southern California irrigation district’s efforts to secure $200 million in U.S. funds to shore up the dying Salton Sea. Without that money, the Imperial Irrigation District — which holds more Colorado River rights than anyone else — says it won’t sign onto the drought plan that is supposed to cover all seven river basin states.

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