SACRAMENTO, Calif. (from) – California released a plan Tuesday detailing how Western states reliant on the Colorado River should save more water. This came a day after six other states in the river basin made a competing proposal.
In a letter to the US Bureau of Reclamation, California explained how the state could save between 1 million and nearly 2 million acre-feet of water through new cuts based on the elevation of Lake Mead, a key reservoir.
The plan doesn’t account for water lost through evaporation and during transportation — a move other states have sought that would mean big cuts for California.
The 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) river serves 40 million people throughout the West and Mexico, generates hydropower for regional markets and irrigates nearly 6 million acres (2,428 hectares) of agricultural land.
A multi-decade drought in the West exacerbated by climate change, rising demand and oversupply has sent water levels in key reservoirs along the river to unprecedented levels. That has forced federal and state officials to take additional steps to protect the system.
California’s plan and a separate method outlined by the state Monday came in response to Reclamation’s request last year to detail how they would use between 15% and 30% less water. The federal agency operates the main dams on the river system.
All seven countries missed the deadline last August. Six of them regrouped and reached an agreement at the end of January. California is the sole proponent of the deal, and responded Tuesday with its own plan.
Unlike other countries’ plans, California’s does not factor roughly 1.5 million acre of Colorado River water lost to evaporation and transportation.
Instead, it proposes to reduce the water taken out of Lake Mead by 1 million acre feet, with 400,000 acre feet coming from the users themselves. The state previously disclosed the extent of the cuts in October. Arizona will bear the larger crop – 560,000 acre feet – while Nevada will harvest the rest. That number is based on discussions from previous negotiations, California’s letter said.
One acre foot is enough water to supply two to three US households for a year.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources said it was still reviewing the California proposal and had no immediate comment.
But Tom Buschatzke, the department’s director, said Tuesday that water managers across the basin have been unable to reach an agreement with California on cuts, even at the broader state level.
“The big problem is what does the priority system mean, what does the SMP priority mean and how does it attach to the results that take what is cut?” he said. “It was a problem in the summer, it was a problem in the fall, it’s still a problem.”
California has the largest water allocation among the seven US states that tap the Colorado River. It is also the last to face water cuts in times of scarcity due to its senior water rights.
That has given the country an advantage over others in months-long talks on ways to reduce water use.
California water officials often reiterate that any additional water cuts must be maintained legally and in accordance with western water laws that respect their water rights.
JB Hamby, chairman of the Colorado River Board of California and a member of the board of the Imperial Irrigation District, indicated that California may file a lawsuit if the federal government tries to count for evaporative losses.
“The best way to avoid conflict and ensure that we can immediately put water in the river is through a voluntary approach, not to put forward a proposal that goes away from the Law of the River and ignores the rights of California seniors and does not respect them,” he said. .
Existing agreements only decrease when Lake Mead’s elevation is between 1,090 feet (332 meters) and 1,025 feet (312 meters). If it falls below 1,025 feet, California plans to propose further cuts based on the so-called Law of the River — likely meaning Arizona and Nevada will bear the brunt of them. That cut is designed to keep Lake Mead from being a “pool of death,” when it can no longer pump water to farms and cities including Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Phoenix.
The current height of the reservoir is about 1,045 feet.
In total, California’s plan can save between 1 million and 2 million acre-feet of water based on the level of elevation in Lake Mead, from which Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico draw their share of the river.
Adel Hagekhalil, general manager for the Metropolitan Water District of California, the country’s largest water supplier, said it was important to protect key reservoirs “without having to run into a long legal battle.”
Hagekhalil and other water managers point to several efforts the country is making to drastically reduce water use by making agricultural and urban water use more efficient.
“California knows how to permanently reduce river use — we’ve been doing it for the past 20 years, through billions of dollars in investments and partnerships that have paid off,” he said in a statement. “We can help the whole South West do it again as we move forward.”
The new proposal does not directly change the state’s water allocations — or interfere with existing water rights. Instead, they will be folded into Reclamation’s big proposal to work on revising how it operates Glen Canyon and Hoover Dam – the behemoth power producer on the Colorado River.
Despite California’s inability to reach an agreement with the other six states, the parties said they hope to talk.
“We’re not going to stop the discussion,” said Buschatzke from Arizona, “and maybe we agree and maybe we don’t.”
Naishadham reports from Washington, DC AP writer Felicia Fonseca contributes from Flagstaff, Arizona.
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Do you need a permit to float the Colorado River?
How do I get a Colorado River permit? Call (435) 259-7012 M-F 8AM -Noon up to 2 months prior to desired launch date. Launches are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. There is no application fee*. Permit fees are $10 per person and are non-refundable.
Do you need a permit to float the Colorado River in Moab?
You must have a river permit for all trips through Cataract Canyon. Most Cataract Canyon trips are placed in Potash, Moab, Green River, or Mineral Bottom.
Do I need a permit to float the Colorado River?
A river permit is required for non-commercial river trips on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park.
How deep is the Colorado River at Moab Utah?
by the number of Rivers through 11 different national monuments and parks including Rocky Mountain National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Grand Canyon National Park. The average width is 300ft and the average depth is about 20ft.
Why do you need a permit to kayak on the Colorado River?
Obtain Permits Always ride through remote areas of the Colorado River. But recently, some parts of the river have become so crowded with boaters that a permit system has been created. The aim is to protect these parts of the river from excessive human impact.
Do you need a permit to kayak on the Colorado River?
A river permit is required for non-commercial river trips on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon National Park.
Can you kayak on the Colorado River?
While you can’t kayak the entire Colorado River from start to finish without exiting your boat and hiking a great deal, you can kayak most of it. Most people choose the popular section for kayaking and parking transportation at either end.
How much does it cost to float the Colorado River?
Grand Canyon National Park: The cost of whitewater rafting A whitewater rafting vacation in the Grand Canyon ranges from $346 for a motorized one-day trip to $6899 for an 18-day paddle trip. Colorado River rafting trips are all inclusive with no additional fees once on the water.
How long does it take to raft the entire Colorado River?
Consider the amount of time you have for the adventure of your life. The Full Canyon experience can be a minimum of 7 days on a motorized raft or can be up to 15 days on a paddle raft.
Do I need a permit to raft in Colorado?
Permits are required and available 60 days prior to the desired camp date. General information is available at (970) 244-3000, but permission is now required through the website. April through October there is a camping fee. It is waived November through March and only the reservation fee is charged.
Who has jurisdiction over the Colorado River?
The Interstate Compact for Jurisdiction on the Colorado River is an agreement between the states bordering the river. The treaty gives law enforcement from any state the authority to police anywhere on the Colorado River.
What is the law of the Colorado River? In 1944, the Treaty with Mexico was signed to provide a set amount of water to Mexico from the Colorado River. The treaty allocates Mexico 1.5 million-acre-feet every year, equally from the Upper and Lower Basins.
Who governs the Colorado River?
1 River flows through seven US states (Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California) and Mexico. According to federal law, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation, part of the Department of the Interior [DOI]) plays an important role in basin water management.
What states have rights to the Colorado River?
The Upper Basin states of Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah said the Lower Basin states â Arizona, California and Nevada â should do the heavy lifting.
Who has the water rights to the Colorado River?
California got most of all Native American tribes holding rights to this water as well, and the 1944 treaty set aside another 1.5 million acre feet for Mexico. The biggest straw, by far, is California. The state is entitled to 4.4 million acre-feet, or more than a third of the river’s natural flow.
What states have rights to the Colorado River?
The Upper Basin states of Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah said the Lower Basin states â Arizona, California and Nevada â should do the heavy lifting.
Which states have water rights to the Colorado River?
The Bureau of Reclamation told the seven states that rely on Colorado River water — Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California — to come up with plans to cut between two and four million acre-feet of water. .
Which state owns the Colorado River?
A contract was signed in 1948 assigning 51.75 percent to Colorado, 23 percent to Utah, 14 percent to Wyoming and 11.25 percent to New Mexico.
Is the Colorado River federally regulated?
The Colorado River is managed and operated under several compacts, federal laws, court decisions and decrees, contracts, and regulatory guidelines collectively known as “River Law”. This set of documents divides the water and regulates the use and management of the Colorado River among the seven …
Does the federal government control the Colorado River?
A 1963 Supreme Court decision confirmed that Congress appointed the Secretary of the Interior as the water master for the Lower Basin, a role in which the federal government manages the delivery of all water below Hoover Dam.
What is the Colorado River controlled by?
The river is strictly managed and controlled, captured and confined by ten large dams along its length, its use regulated by treaties, interstate compacts, state and federal laws, and numerous judicial decisions and decisions.
What states have rights to the Colorado River?
The Upper Basin states of Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah said the Lower Basin states â Arizona, California and Nevada â should do the heavy lifting.
Which country owns the Colorado River? A contract was signed in 1948 assigning 51.75 percent to Colorado, 23 percent to Utah, 14 percent to Wyoming and 11.25 percent to New Mexico.
Which states have water rights to the Colorado River?
The Bureau of Reclamation told the seven states that rely on Colorado River water — Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and California — to come up with plans to cut between two and four million acre-feet of water. .
Does Nevada sell water to California?
Does California use all our water? Are we selling water to California? Not exactly. With the exception of the Humboldt River, most of Nevada’s surface water – that is, water that flows down rivers and streams – originates as snow elsewhere.
Is Colorado in danger of running out of water?
Yes. We are on target for. Part of the Central Valley has run out of water. Before SGMA, there were places in the southern part of the valley where I would say in 40 to 50 years we would run out or the water would be saline or deep enough that it would be too expensive to extract.
Does California depend on the Colorado River?
The Colorado River Basin has been gripped by drought for more than two decades, and its massive reservoirs dipped to historic lows. But California, which draws more water from the river than any other state, managed to avoid the 2023 ban announced for Arizona, Nevada and Mexico.
Are there 2 different Colorado rivers? There is the Colorado River that flows through Arizona, Utah, and other western states. Ours is the âlainâ Colorado RiverâThe Texas Colorado River.
Why does the US have two Colorado rivers?
This is just an accident of geography by the unimaginative early Spanish explorers who did not have (or made) a very accurate map, and yes, some of them thought that the two rivers named Colorado were actually connected, but they were not and never did.
Does the Colorado River split?
This is where the river is divided into two basins for water rights purposes. The upper basin includes parts of Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming. There is also a lower basin that includes other parts of Utah, Arizona and New Mexico, as well as parts of Nevada and California.
Are there two Colorado rivers in the United States?
There is the Colorado River that flows through Arizona, Utah, and other western states. Ours is the âlainâ Colorado RiverâThe Texas Colorado River. But here, we are just called the âColorado River.â
What 7 states does the Colorado River run through?
The Colorado River flows about 1,450 miles and supplies water to seven states in the Western US that are part of the Colorado River Basin. Divided into two areas; Upper Basin includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming; and the Lower Basin includes Arizona, California, and Nevada.
What state does the Colorado River begin in?
Beginning in the middle of the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, it flows generally southwest across the Colorado Plateau and through the Grand Canyon before reaching Lake Mead on the ArizonaâNevada border, where it turns south toward the international border.
What 7 states are part of the Colorado River Compact of 1922?
The Colorado River Compact of 1922 divided the river into two basins: The Upper Basin (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) and the Lower Basin (Arizona, California and Nevada), establishing allotments for each basin and providing a framework for management. river for years to come.
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