The federal government will announce what are likely to be the strictest Colorado River cuts in modern history on Friday.
A plan imposed on the states, according to a Friday press release, will be revisited every two years through 2036.
It’s the end point to years of back and forth between two coalitions of states that failed to agree on how to update 20-year operating guidelines for the river that expire at the end of this year. Now, an issue largely left to states to figure out has required federal intervention — something that could lead to a yearslong fight at the U.S. Supreme Court.
Though the Interior Department issued a press release, it has not released the actual documents that will establish what a new operating regime will look like or how Nevada might be affected as of 7:15 a.m. Friday morning.
The press release says that the framework will allow the states to continue a dialogue and attempt to implement water-saving agreements based on consensus. It does hint that the Lower Basin states of Nevada, California and Arizona will collectively take up to 3.0 million acre-feet of shortages but does not yet offer further details.
“The Department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “This framework provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions while preserving the opportunity for the Basin States to continue working toward durable, consensus-based solutions.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
