Three western states unveiled a water-conservation proposal Tuesday that would slice 3.2 million acre-feet from Colorado River consumption over the next three years, a bid to stabilize the shrinking system while multistate negotiations remain gridlocked.
The voluntary cutback plan from California, Arizona, and Nevada represents the lower basin states' attempt to break a deadlock that has stalled discussions among all seven states with legal claims on the river. The effort also includes conservation initiatives and infrastructure improvements designed to preserve an additional 700,000 acre-feet, plus a conservation reserve to help the federal government meet its obligations to Arizona tribes.
"Without that, the system will continue to decline," said JB Hamby, chair of California's Colorado River Board, in a statement endorsing the proposal as "real action to stabilize water supply."
The Colorado River slakes the thirst of roughly 40 million people across the American West. But Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two colossal reservoirs that hold the river's water, now sit at historic lows after decades of overuse, shrinking snowpack, and warming temperatures tied to climate change.
The stalemate pits lower and upper basin states against each other. Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, and Utah have argued the southern states should absorb most of the cuts since California, Arizona, and Nevada draw the bulk of water from the reservoirs. The southern basin counters that all seven states must share the pain.
The three-state plan still faces hurdles before it can take effect. Approval from each state's water agencies, Arizona's legislature, and federal cooperation remain necessary. The states insisted the package must be adopted or rejected as a whole, not carved up piecemeal.
Conditions in the Colorado River basin have deteriorated faster than many anticipated. Record-breaking heat gripped much of the West this winter, decimating snowpack that typically feeds the river. As of April 1, the upper basin snowpack stood at just 23 percent of the historical median, exacerbating the supply crisis.
Adding another layer of complexity, dozens of tribal nations hold water rights to Colorado River resources, though many of those allocations remain undefined or difficult to access in practice.
Author James Rodriguez: "Three states finally proposing concrete action is progress, but until the upper basin stops stonewalling, this doesn't resolve the fundamental math: there simply isn't enough water to go around."
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