Water Agreement Stalemate Remains but Leaders Are Not Giving Up On Mediation
Recent developments across the Colorado River Basin show how changes in water supply are beginning to affect recreation, agriculture, and future water planning. While the seven Basin states remain divided over how to manage the river, communities are already dealing with the effects of lower flows and looking at new ways to protect their water. […]
Seeking New Drought Solutions as Negotiations Dry Up
As Colorado River negotiations remain stalled, water leaders across the West are looking beyond temporary reservoir protections and considering broader changes to how water is managed. Recent reports show growing interest in mediation, permanent groundwater conservation, less water-intensive agriculture, and stronger tribal participation in state water decisions. Representatives from the seven Colorado River Basin states […]
The Drought’s Growing Consequences
While much of the latest Basin Brief coverage has been focused on the new interstate water-exchange agreement between Arizona, California, and Nevada, other reports show the growing consequences of the Basin’s worsening drought. Declining reservoirs are affecting wildlife, hydropower, recreation, and local economies, while new industrial development continues to raise questions about how limited water […]
Water Leaders Seek New Solutions As Water Crisis Continues
Water leaders across the Southwest are looking at new ways to manage limited Colorado River supplies as the Basin continues to face drought, low reservoir levels, and uncertainty over future rules. Recent reports show that agencies are no longer only talking about emergency cuts. They are also exploring interstate exchanges, desalination, recycled water, local conservation, […]
Bracing for Another Dry Winter
The Colorado River Basin is facing another warning sign, as experts suggest that another dry winter could push the system closer to a serious storage crash. Recent reports indicate that the river’s future is being shaped by shrinking reservoir levels, uncertain runoff, growing demand, city-level water planning, and the need for better information about who […]
New Research on River Forecasts
The Colorado River Basin is entering another critical stretch as scientists, cities, water managers, and federal agencies warn that the system is still under serious pressure. Recent reports show that the crisis is not only about how much water is left in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, but also how accurately the river can be […]
Basin Brief: Cities Brace For Water Cuts
As the Colorado River talks keep going, it’s clear that the water situation is getting more serious than just state and federal meetings. Cities are getting ready for less water, local governments are tightening up on who can use the water, and there are more disagreements about groundwater. Plus, businesses are starting to see the […]
Lower Basin Proposal
Arizona, California and Nevada have put forward a new short-term Colorado River proposal aimed at protecting Lake Mead and Lake Powell while the Basin states continue working toward a longer-term agreement. The proposal comes at a critical time, as the Colorado River system continues to face worsening drought, shrinking runoff and growing pressure from cities, […]
Basin Brief May 5, 2026
Arizona, California, and Nevada have put forward a new proposal to conserve Colorado River water through 2028, offering a short-term plan meant to stabilize Lake Mead and Lake Powell while the seven Basin states continue working toward a long-term agreement. The proposal comes after more than a year of stalled negotiations and as the river […]
Basin Brief May 7. 2026
Once designed to stabilize water deliveries to the Lower Basin, the Glen Canyon dam is now becoming a liability due to declining water levels caused by record breaking drought. The reservoir is less than a quarter full, and inflows are projected to be among the lowest ever recorded, driven by unusually early heat and a […]