May 22, 2023 (Denver, CO) - The seven Colorado River Basin States have agreed that a proposal developed by the Lower Division States–to conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water by 2026–should be transmitted to the Secretary of Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation for further analysis as part of the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement process (SEIS).
DENVER, CO – With more frequent, severe drought, many are looking for better ways to address water supply and storage as climate change alters life in Colorado and the West. The newly released Colorado Water Plan provides a framework for helping Colorado meet its water challenges through water conservation and collaborative action around water development.
Six states reach consensus on criteria for environmental review to help protect lakes Powell and Mead
January 30, 2023 – States sharing the Colorado River submitted a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) that outlines a Consensus-Based Modeling Alternative for Reclamation to evaluate and incorporate into its development of a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) to revise current Operating Guidelines (’07 Guidelines) for Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell and Hoover Dam at Lake Mead.
DENVER - On January 24, 2023, to meet Colorado’s most critical water challenges, the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) unanimously approved the finalized the 2023 Colorado Water Plan. First released in 2015, the Water Plan provides a comprehensive framework to guide collaborative action from water partners, agencies, and Coloradans.
The Bureau of Reclamation released its Colorado River Basin August 2022 24-Month Study, which sets annual operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, both of which have reached critically low levels. Below is a statement from Colorado River Commissioner Becky Mitchell:
In coordination with the other Upper Division States of New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, Colorado is taking action in response to the call from the Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton to the Colorado River Basin states to conserve a total of 2-4 million acre-feet to protect critical infrastructure at Lake Powell and Lake Mead.
The Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) – the state’s agency that works to conserve, develop, protect and manage Colorado's water for present and future generations – released a draft of the 2023 Colorado Water Plan for a 90-day public comment period.