The seven states including Arizona that depend on the dwindling Colorado River failed to reach an agreement on cutting their water use by a Feb. 14 federal deadline.
Here are five things to know about the worsening situation for the 40 million people in the U.S. West who depend on the river, which supplies Tucson's drinking water among other uses:
- The missed deadline came at the same time the federal government released a very pessimistic forecast for the river, projecting spring-summer runoff into Colorado River reservoir Lake Powell at just 38% of the 1991-2020 average. That could result in significantly less water being delivered to Arizona, California and Nevada.
- While the states will continue to negotiate in search of consensus, chances are increasing that the federal government will impose its own solution on the states, which they do not want. The river's current operating guidelines expire Sept. 30.
- The inability to reach consensus also increases the chance of lawsuits being filed by the Upper Basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming), the Lower Basin (Arizona, California and Nevada) or both basins to block a federally imposed solution they don't like.
- The biggest disagreement between the two basins is that the Upper Basin states won't accept a deal that requires them to commit to cutting water use. The Lower Basin states say they won't accept any agreement that doesn't require both basins' leaders to accept mandatory cuts.
- Warm and dry weather conditions mean that Colorado River reservoir Lake Powell is now forecast to fall below the lowest level at which Glen Canyon Dam can generate electricity, possibly as early as August or by December. The dam generates electricity for 5 million people in seven states including Arizona.
