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SALT LAKE CITY — The Biden administration has approved a plan involving all seven Colorado Basin states, including Utah, to save millions of acre-feet of the Colorado River over the next few years before a new long-term plan for Lake Powell and Lake Mead is put together.
The "consensus-based system conservation proposal" seeks to conserve at least another 3 million acre-feet of the Colorado River system's water by 2026, half of which will be accomplished by the end of next year. One acre-foot is about 325,851 gallons. This reduction will come from the Lower Basin states of Arizona, Nevada and California, and not the Upper Basin states like Utah.
The Associated Press reports the federal government will agree to send the states back $1.2 billion in funds, which was requested as a part of the plan.
Department of the Interior Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau, who helped negotiate the deal on a federal end, said Wednesday that he believes the water reduction and other recent measures have "staved off the immediate possibility" of having Lake Powell and Lake Mead fall to "critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production."
"Throughout the past year, our partners in the seven basin states have demonstrated leadership and unity of purpose in helping achieve the substantial water conservation necessary to sustain the Colorado River system through 2026," he said in a statement Wednesday.
The call to reduce Colorado River consumption began as Lake Powell — at the Utah-Arizona border, and Lake Mead — at the Arizona-Nevada border, had fallen to lows in recent years as a result of long-term drought conditions and overconsumption throughout the West. It jeopardized not just water capacity but other functions like hydropower production.
The states countered two solutions the Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Reclamation had proposed, which would have saved about 2.083 million acre-feet under emergency action through reductions to Lower Basin users. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called it "a win for everybody" when the states' plan was submitted to the federal government in May.
"We know we have to do our part and all of the Colorado River Basin states have to do their part, as well," he said at the time. "Just seeing everybody on board — I didn't know, a year ago, if we'd be able to get here — but I'm really happy that we're here."
Both reservoirs have improved some this year, after a robust snowpack across the West, but Lake Powell remains at 36% capacity. Colorado River Basin states are also already cutting back on consumption, which is helping both reservoirs.
The finalized plan came less than a week after the Department of the Interior released a scoping report as it works to craft a new operating plan for the Colorado River system set to begin in 2027.
The agency points out the river is vital for 40 million people along the seven states, 30 tribal nations and Mexico. It also accounts for a little more than a quarter of the water used in Utah.
