Particle.news
Download on the App Store
14 ARTICLES
·
3h ago

Colorado River States Poised to Miss Deadline as Federal Plan Looms

Record‑low snowpack is pushing reservoirs toward critical levels, increasing the risk of federal intervention.

Image
Sprinklers irrigate a lettuce field in Holtville, California, in February 2023.
The Colorado River snakes through a canyon near Page, Arizona, in July 2025.
PAGE, ARIZONA - JULY 10: Early morning sunlight hits canyon walls on Lake Powell in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on July 10, 2025 in Page, Arizona. Lake Powell, a critical Colorado River reservoir, is only at a third of its capacity as drought conditions in the Southwest worsen. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Overview

  • Negotiators from the seven basin states are unlikely to reach Interior’s Feb. 14 target for a new framework to manage the Colorado River.
  • The Lower Basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) seeks mandatory cutbacks shared by all seven states, while the Upper Basin (Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico) resists mandated cuts.
  • Federal officials have outlined draft operating alternatives and could impose a plan by October if no deal emerges, a step observers say would likely trigger lawsuits.
  • States are exploring short-term bridge agreements lasting two to five years to avoid immediate litigation and buy time for a longer-term pact.
  • Hydrology has sharply worsened: flows into Lake Powell are projected at about 38% of normal, Upper Basin snowpack is roughly 43% of normal, Lake Powell sits near 26% full, and Lake Mead is a little over one‑third full.