July 31, 2026
Colorado River Basin — The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation today published a Final Environmental Impact Statement for managing the Colorado River.
This is an important milestone in a decision-making process that has been fraught with conflict. The seven states that share the river have been at a stalemate for years over how to manage it, leaving critical decisions to the federal government.
In the absence of a state deal, the Final Environmental Impact Statement lays out Reclamation’s plan for new guidelines that will go into effect on October 1. The proposal provides a 10-year framework for managing the river with operating guidelines issued every two years. While this lacks the long-term certainty our communities need, it does leave the door open to collaborative solutions — but the states must choose to walk through it.
Our communities need state leaders to invest in on-the-ground solutions, not expensive law firms. Litigation over the river would take years to resolve, cost the taxpayers millions of dollars, and leave our future up to the U.S. Supreme Court.
The Basin states have been repeating the same arguments for years and negotiations have not yielded meaningful results. It is time to change things up and work with a team of professional mediators who can help facilitate productive negotiations and support the states in reaching consensus.
This water year is one of the worst on record. Our communities need collaborative solutions that can be deployed immediately.
A healthy Colorado River is the backbone of the West. WRA experts are reviewing the Final Environmental Impact Statement and looking for policies that protect river health, take a proactive approach to water management, respond to changing conditions, and meaningfully include Tribes in decision making. Federal funding and a transparent decision-making process will be essential in implementing the management framework outlined in the Final Environmental Impact Statement.
Climate change has fundamentally changed the river. The Final Environmental Impact Statement may help us get through the next few years, but long-term solutions and state cooperation with the federal government are still needed to secure our future.
WRA experts are available for comment.
Contact: Caitlin Weber, 505-372-4937, caitlin.weber@westernresources.org
