A wet winter and a temporary water conservation agreement have eased some pressure on Colorado River policymakers, which is reflected in a new Bureau of Reclamation proposal.
A wet winter and a temporary water conservation agreement have eased some pressure on Colorado River policymakers, which is reflected in a new Bureau of Reclamation proposal that says the risk of critically low reservoirs remains but is “much lower.”
Now, those water managers – a group of seven state-appointed negotiators – have more bandwidth to focus on replacing long-term rules for divvying up the river. The main change since April is the inclusion of water data from a wet winter in the mountains. Winter precipitation in the Colorado River’s upper basin – where snowmelt accounts for most of the river’s total water supply – was 21% higher than average last winter. That raised water levels in Lake Powell from a record-low 22% of total capacity to 40%.
Despite Reclamation and the states highlighting a short-term conservation deal as a means of enabling relatively calm times in the Colorado River negotiation space, policy analysts say the wet winter is doing the heavy lifting. The draft released this week perhaps illustrates positive changes in the process by which the future of the river is being negotiated, said Jennifer Pitt, director of the Audubon Society’s Colorado River Program. She said a publicly available document and a public comment period are an improvement from the “windowless conference rooms” of decades past.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Colorado weather: Snow and ice on Colorado roads cause accidents, closures along interstatesNWS meteorologists advise travelers to drive slowly and carefully in the icy aftermath of Saturday’s snowstorm. Accidents reported across the state have shut down roads and interstates.
Read more »
Feds approve states' near-term plan to cut Colorado River use in 3 statesThe Department of the Interior says it will implement a plan sought by the seven Colorado River Basin states to reduce 3 million acre-feet in water consumption by 2026.
Read more »
Feds say Colorado River water cuts are sufficient to stave off immediate risksStates that rely on the Colorado River agreed on a proposal for cutting water use. Officials say an analysis shows the approach addresses short-term risks.
Read more »
Watch Police Chase Allegedly Stolen Toyota Camry At 130 MPH In The WetThe video indicates that the driver was skilled behind the wheel but the Camry wasn't fast enough to get away
Read more »
52 Cosplay Shots On A Wet Day At MCM London Comic Con 2023The sun stayed away this weekend in London, and we were showered with… showers. Which is not conducive to cosplay, especially with the drawing-in nights, so most of the cosplay at MCM London Comic Con October 2023 was inside the London ExCel Centre.
Read more »
Armed suspect leads Colorado law enforcement agencies on pursuitDr. Geoffrey Kim is still accepting new patients despite being convicted of attempted reckless manslaughter. He will be sentenced Nov. 16.
Read more »