LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A critical deadline hits today for Colorado River water negotiations, as seven basin states scramble to reach an agreement for Post-2026 Operational Guidelines for the resource that provides water to 40 million people across the West.
Negotiators are meeting Monday and Tuesday in attempt to forge a deal.
The Department of Interior previously gave a Nov. 11 deadline for the states to reach an agreement or risk the federal government taking over decision-making for the river that supplies 90% of Southern Nevada's water. So far, no replacement plan has been made available to the public.
These negotiations take place behind closed doors and out of the public eye, leaving critical questions unanswered about which states may face water cuts and when those reductions might occur as soon as next year.
In September, Southern Nevada Water Authority spokesperson Bronson Mack provided Channel 13 some insight into what a possible proposal might look like — a supply-driven framework that would base water allocations on three years of historic flows.
What could a new water agreement look like?
Whatever management strategy emerges, the Colorado River system faces significant stability hurdles. Drought and overuse have contributed to critical decline in recent years, with Lake Mead currently sitting at just over 31% capacity.
Recent studies indicate further decline is expected. Projections from the latest Bureau of Reclamation study show Lake Mead could reach its lowest levels ever in less than two years.
October's Water Supply status
These negotiations are unfolding amid a leadership vacuum at the Bureau of Reclamation, the agency overseeing Colorado River negotiations. The collapse of a high-profile nomination has left the agency without permanent leadership during this critical period.
Ted Cooke, former general manager of the Central Arizona Project, was nominated by President Donald Trump in June to lead the Bureau of Reclamation. His nomination was later pulled.
