7 Colorado River States Threaten Lawsuits as Drought Derails Water Division Talks
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 15
7 Colorado River States Threaten Lawsuits as Drought Derails Water Division Talks
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 15
Summary
Seven Colorado River states are threatening to sue one another over water deliveries after more than six months of negotiations failed to produce a new sharing agreement.
Decades-low river flows, a year of extreme drought and century-old water rights have hardened the dispute over how sharply each state must cut use.
The Trump administration twice convened governors and the Bureau of Reclamation floated compromise options, but acting commissioner Scott Cameron said states repeatedly rejected them.
A federal water-use plan is due this summer and is expected to be imposed later in 2026, with officials warning no state is likely to be pleased as reservoirs near critical lows.
The standoff underscores how a river system built for a century-ago climate and population is struggling to serve today’s larger Southwest even as cities improve efficiency.