Western US states reach deal on Colorado river conservation
SEVEN states have reached a “historic consensus” on conserving water from the Colorado River in the western United States, a breakthrough in a region where persistent drought has made water allocation a point of debate.
In a statement on Monday, the US Department of the Interior (DOI) said that the three states that make up the Colorado River Basin — Arizona, California and Nevada — had agreed to voluntary measures to conserve 3 million acrefeet of water, or 3.7 billion cubic metres, through 2026. That amounts to using approximately 13 percent less water over three years.
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“There are 40 million people, seven states, and 30 Tribal Nations who rely on the Colorado River Basin for basic services such as drinking water and electricity,”
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a press release on Monday. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the
Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to working with states, Tribes and communities throughout the West to find consensus solutions in the face of climate change and sustained drought.”
As climate change exacerbates drought in the western US, water flow along the Colorado River has tumbled by approximately 20 percent since the 1900s.
Facing the prospect of the river’s collapse, states that rely on the river have sparred over how to decrease their usage and which areas should accept the steepest reductions.
Questions have also emerged over the role of Indigenous communities, who were historically excluded from conversations about the river and water usage.
The federal government has sought to mediate between various states, and the DOI press release does not offer details regarding the apportionment of cuts.
The upper basin of the river includes the states of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico, with California, Arizona and Nevada in the lower basin.