States that use the Colorado River have spent the better part of 2024 deadlocked about how to share its shrinking water supplies, and annual water meetings in Las Vegas laid bare how far those states are from an agreement. The seven states can’t agree on who should feel the pain of water cutbacks during dry times. The river is getting smaller due to climate change, and states need to come up with new rules to share its water. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico make up the Upper Basin. California, Arizona and Nevada represent the Lower Basin. The current rules for sharing water expire in 2026, and each group has submitted a separate proposal for new guidelines after that point.

Other Colorado River articles:

• Arizona Republic: More precipitation, and more droughts, for the Colorado River
• Aspen Journalism: Water managers deadlocked on Colorado River
• Nevada Current: Tribes help boost Lake Mead water supply, hope for lame duck passage of $5B federal water act
• Courthouse News Service: Meeting of Colorado River users wraps with focus on Mexico and tribes
• Fox 13 Salt Lake City: What Native American tribes and Mexico want out of Colorado River negotiations
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: Here’s what you need to know about this week’s Colorado River conference
• Newsweek: Lake Powell dam gets $30 million boost
• The Colorado Sun: Opponents of Gross Dam expansion ask judge to halt construction, warning of “catastrophic” impact