LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Federal officials are releasing proposals for what could happen to the Colorado River in the future.
On Friday, the Bureau of Reclamation released its Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Post-2026 Operational Guidelines and Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
The 66-page document outlines five different strategies for managing the Colorado River.
That includes doing nothing and keeping things the way they are right now all the way up to a plan that would cause shortages up to four Million Acre-Feet for Lower Basin states.
You can read the full document below.
Some conservation groups are already stating the plan released on Friday doesn't address the Colorado River system as a whole.
"There are a lot of future realities to weigh within the document. But there are many that have been excluded like the one-dam solution and the ecosystem alternative. It is also notable that this really focuses on Powell, Mead, and Mead-related activities at Mojave, Parker, Imperial, etc. This is not a full Colorado River System review. It is limited," said Kyle Roerink, the Executive Director of the Great Basin Water Network. "Some scenarios don't even include Upper Basin cuts. It is clear federal officials are determined to prop up Lake Powell and limit the pain for the Upper Basin while the Lower Basin bears the brunt. This will not limit Upper Basin States ability to appropriate more water and more uses. Equity and parity among basins aside, there are conditions where millions of acre feet of use will be curtailed. That is a painful reality in times of scarcity. We will see and feel unprecedented pain in all the proposals within this massive document. ... We will continue to review and assess in the coming days to better understand the impacts."
"I see nothing sustainable or resilient about this plan. We are worried about more empty promises not coming to fruition and that means empty reservoirs," said John Weisheit, the Conservation Director of Living Rivers. "The scenarios that came to be in the past 20 years were regarded as near impossibilities during the development of the current management framework created decades ago. The draft of this environmental review showcases that there are a lot of possibilities where our communities, ecosystems, and governments face great peril. We need to buckle up and get ready for a wild ride."
Last month, negotiators from all seven states that could be affected by the cuts were in Las Vegas for the Colorado River Water Users Association, or CRWUA, conference.
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Negotiators were trying to come up with new guidelines for Colorado River water management since the current guidelines are set to expire next year.
The federal government previously gave states until Nov. 11 to meet that deadline. They did not do so and the new deadline set by the government is Feb. 14.
"Decisions need to be made the Colorado River, it’s just a matter if those decisions will be made in a collaborative manner," Andrea Travnicek, Dept. of Interior's Assistant Secretary for Water And Science, said in a keynote speech to CRWUA attendees last month. "Will they be made by the federal government or will we end up in litigation?"
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As for the proposals that were released on Friday, the Bureau of Reclamation is giving the public a chance to weigh on and share their thoughts on the five options. They will accept public comments during a 45-day window, which runs from Jan. 16 through March 2.
You can submit your comments by sending an email to crbpost2026@usbr.gov.
You can also call (602) 609-6739 or mail your comments to the Bureau of Reclamation at the following address:
Bureau of Reclamation
Attn: BCOO-1000
P.O. Box 61470
Boulder City, NV 89006
The Bureau of Reclamation will also be hosting two virtual public meetings with more information.
They are scheduled for Jan 29 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. PST and on Feb. 10 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. PST.
You will need to fill out a registration form in order to get instruction on accessing the Zoom meeting. Those forms are not live, as of Friday afternoon, but you can track them and sign up on the agency's website by clicking here.
