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Colorado River Conservation Negotiations Bolstered by Funding
The Bureau of Reclamation announced action to protect critical levels in the Colorado River's two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, by requiring basin water users to reduce consumption - either through own initiative or federal mandate. Colorado River contractors are working to develop a plan to meet the Bureau's August 15, 2022 deadline.
Colorado River water contractors are busy negotiating a plan to generate 2-4 million acre feet of water to help support a crashing reservoir system. The Bureau of Reclamation is expected to release its latest 24-month study on August 15. The 24-month study projects future Colorado River system conditions using various hydrologic scenarios. The scenarios are not expected to be promising which explains the Bureau's demand for a plan to conserve even more water than called for in the recently implemented Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) and 500+ Plan. The August 15 deadline looms as Colorado River contractors continue to meet to develop a plan.
Negotiations were bolstered by the inclusion of a $4 billion drought/water conservation package included in the Inflation Reduction Act passed by the Senate over the weekend. The $4 billion package is intended to avert worsening drought conditions across the Colorado River system by funding necessary conservation efforts to counter oversubscription of river resources and two decades of extended drought.
According to recent press reports, the funds will be administered by the Bureau of Reclamation over the next four years to pay farmers, rural districts and others to fallow crops, install water efficiency technology or reduce consumption. The funds are also expected to fund water infrastructure modernization projects as well as projects to reduce harmful effects of drought on rivers and inland water bodies like the Salton Sea.
In a recent Desert Sun article (link below), IID Director JB Hamby was quoted as saying, "The fact that Congress recognizes the ongoing Colorado River drought is a big deal, and the funding will go a long way to address what's a national issue. It gives Reclamation, the basin states and water users the resources to tackle this big problem head on."
The funding included in the Inflation Reduction Act is viewed as crucial to the important discussions regarding reduced consumption in response to the Bureau's mandate. The bill will be considered by the House of Representatives later this week. The package will then be forwarded to President Biden for signature.
Additional developments in the August 15 negotiations will be reported in future newsletters.
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