A fracas among the seven states along the drought-stricken Colorado River is forcing the first major reckoning for the Biden administration over who should bear the pain of adapting to a changing climate
A view of the Colorado River as it flows around Horseshoe Bend on June 23, 2021 in Page, Arizona. Climate change has shriveled the river's flows by 20 percent over the past two decades, and for each additional degree of warming, scientists predict the river will shrink another 9 percent. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.
The 1,450-mile long Colorado River made much of the West inhabitable, and now supplies water to 40 million Americans from Wyoming to the border with Mexico, as well as an enormously productive agricultural industry. But climate change has shriveled its flows by 20 percent over the past two decades, and for each additional degree of warming, scientists predict the river will shrink another 9 percent.
A truck tire once in the water as part of a marina sits on dry ground as water levels have dropped near the Callville Bay Resort & Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Aug. 30, 2022, near Boulder City, Nev. | John Locher/AP Phototo spread the cuts among the Lower Basin’s water users.
But Tom Buschatzke, director of Arizona’s Department of Water Resources, argued that his state agreed to take junior rights to river water back in 1968, before climate change was known to be a factor in shrinking the river’s flow. And while the immediate fight is centered on Arizona and California, the Upper Basin states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, which backed Arizona’s approach, have their own interest in moving toward a more flexible interpretation of century-old water rules.
Meanwhile, notably absent from the dueling proposals were any of the 29 tribes that reside within the river basin, and whose interests the Biden administration has vowed to be particularly attentive to. They haven’t been in the room for negotiations involving the states and the federal government.
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.
At the heart of Colorado River crisis, the mighty 'Law of the River' looms largeAt the heart of tensions over water allotments from the Colorado River is a complex set of agreements and decrees known as the 'Law of the River.'
Read more »
At the heart of Colorado River crisis, the mighty 'Law of the River' holds swayIt’s a crisis nearly 100 years in the making: Seven states — all reliant on a single mighty river as a vital source of water — failed to reach an agreement this week on how best to reduce their use of supplies from the rapidly shrinking Colorado River.
Read more »
At the heart of Colorado River crisis, the mighty 'Law of the River' holds swayIt’s a crisis nearly 100 years in the making: Seven states — all reliant on a single mighty river as a vital source of water — failed to reach an agreement this week on how best to reduce their use of supplies from the rapidly shrinking Colorado River.
Read more »
California finds itself isolated, alone in battle over Colorado River water cutsAfter rejecting a plan offered by the rest of the region, California has entered a political tug-of-war with high stakes. So why has the state that uses the most Colorado River water decided to go it alone?
Read more »
California is isolated, alone in battle over Colorado River water cutsWith the recent expiration of a federal deadline, California now finds itself sharply at odds with six other states over how to take less water from the shrinking Colorado River.
Read more »
California is isolated and alone in battle over Colorado River water cutsCalifornia appears to be banking on its high-priority senior water rights, while the other states are presenting a united front to show the federal government they support a plan that would have California give up more water.
Read more »