November 21, 2024
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s announcement on action alternatives for analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement is an important step toward establishing comprehensive guidelines that protect the health of the river and the communities, fish, and wildlife that depend on it.
We are pleased that the Cooperative Conservation Alternative (CCA) was included in the list of alternatives that the Bureau published yesterday. The CCA offers a roadmap for sustaining water supplies for people and the environment and includes elements to save water, respond to changing river conditions, protect fish and wildlife habitat, and incorporate environmental stewardship into how the river is managed.
The guidelines governing the Colorado River expire in 2025. We have limited time left to address the challenges facing the river, and no one group can secure its water future at someone else’s expense. To sustain our region, we’ve got to work together for the health of the river, the ecosystems, and the people that depend on it.
Reclamation’s list of alternatives creates space for further discussion and negotiation among decision makers. The next step is to assess how the varying operations and strategies in each alternative perform under a wide range of river conditions. We look forward to evaluating these alternatives and working with decision makers and stakeholders throughout the basin to ensure the river is protected.
Media Contact:
Caitlin Weber, 505-372-4937, caitlin.weber@westernresources.org
