The agreement gives federal authorities the ability to make emergency cuts if water levels reach critically low levels again. Joe Lombardo said in a statement, and this partnership is a critical next step in our efforts to sustain this essential water supply., GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX. The proposal would result in about 2 million acre-feet of cuts the low end of what the federal government has asked for and would be largest for the biggest consumers of water: California and Arizona. Here's what we know. Gavin Newsom said that California has stepped up to make significant cuts to water usage, and that the agreement will help maintain critical water supply for millions of Americans as we work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River., President Biden said the agreement on a consensus-based approach marks an important step forward in our efforts to protect the stability of the Colorado River System in the face of climate change and historic drought conditions.. The six states made their case in a letter to the Bureau of Reclamation on Monday. Facing that prospect, the Interior Department last June told the seven states to find a way to reduce their water use by two to four million acre-feet of water per year. The structure of the agreement allows the Biden administration to sidestep, for now, the problem of which states will take the brunt of the cuts. 0:00. The release is part of a first-of-its-kind agreement between the Jicarilla Apache Nation and the state of New Mexico. But from the perspective of other states even those cuts wouldnt be nearly enough. 6:00. Today's agreement between the Department of the Interior and seven Colorado River Basin states on a consensus-based approach marks an important step forward in our efforts to protect the. The Colorado River supplies drinking water to 40 million Americans in seven states as well as part of Mexico and irrigates 5.5 million acres of farmland. At least half of the 3 million acre feet will be conserved by the end of 2024. EXPERIMENT UNDERWAY: 3-day flood experiment begins at Grand Canyon to improve Colorado River conditions. Representatives of the states reached the consensus after months of negotiations, with California, Arizona and Nevada together committing to reduce water use by 3 million acre-feet between now and the end of 2026 an average of 1 million acre-feet per year, cutting usage by about 14% across the Southwest. More than 30 bridges cross La Seine, the 776-kilometre long river that runs through Paris and that has inspired many painters and songwriters throughout the centuries. Jan. 31 (UPI) -- Six Western states along the Colorado River have reached a tentative agreement to cut back on shared water use from the river's two major dams, but California -- which. As a result, what looked until recently like a state-against-state cage match has produced an outcome that is more tolerable for the states involved, if not exactly welcome. But we will not serve as an emergency reservoir for uncontrollable, unsustainable urban sprawl, Cardenas said. Water from the Colorado River runs through a canal in Pinal County, Ariz. A lettuce field in Holtville, Calif. Of seven states that get their water from the Colorado River, California draws the largest share. The Fraser Flats Habitat Project is a cooperative venture conducted by Learning By Doing, an amalgamation of local water stakeholders who several years ago formed a committee in an effort to increase cooperation and decrease litigation between Front Range water diverters, local governments and High Country conservation groups. The states proposal leaves the door open for further negotiated cuts, as well as federally mandated cuts, if Lake Mead is forecast to decline toward critically low levels at some point during the next three years, said Elizabeth Koebele, an associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada, Reno. The Colorado River is a critical resource in the West. Taken together, those reductions would amount to about 13 percent of the total water use in the lower Colorado Basin among the most aggressive ever experienced in the region, and likely to require significant water restrictions for residential and agriculture uses. Sarah Porter, the director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University, called the agreement a positive step, but one that might only offer a stay of execution. List of signatories and beneficiaries Federal officials said much of the reductions will come by paying agricultural landowners, irrigation districts and other water users to conserve water, using $1.2 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act. The agreement, announced Monday, calls for the federal government to pay about $1.2 billion to irrigation districts, cities and Native American tribes in the three states if they temporarily use less water. Matt Vasilogambros covers voting rights, gun laws and Western climate policy for Stateline. Climate Policy Why the new Colorado River agreement is a big deal even if you don't live out West The Colorado River is drying up. For decades, the Fraser River in Colorados Grand County has turned into a trickle every fall as the snowmelt that powers the river dissipates. The White House has announced a key deal with Arizona, California and Nevada to conserve large amounts of water from the drought-afflicted Colorado River. It powers agricultural land and urban areas, serving roughly 1 in 10 Americans. Cardenas said the prospect of a 10 percent cut to the regions $5 billion agricultural economy would mean serious economic pain for a community that already suffers from high unemployment. Colorados economy depends on water: where it is, where the people who need it live and work, who has rights to it. After fast track, skip-the-line access, proceed to the second level to survey the city from the viewing platforms while listening to commentary about Paris culture, traditions, and history. Still, Hasencamp said water conservation, both in communities and on farms, should remain a way of life. Many of the details of how federal money will be used to compensate water users have yet to be finalized. Why is the river drying up? Were not going to wreck our local economy so that they can continue to grow their urban economy.. Those forthcoming reductions will be a significant and difficult political negotiation, he toldStatelinein an email. These include the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead (2007 Interim Guidelines), the 2019 Drought Contingency Plans, as well as international agreements between the United States and Mexico pursuant to the United States-Mexico Treaty on Utilization of Waters of the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers and of the Rio Grande (1944 Water Treaty). The proposal lays out potential new cuts for the states of the Southwest that lie downstream from the major reservoirs Arizona, Nevada and California as well as Mexico, which has treaty rights to a portion of the rivers water. As reservoir levels drop, the document suggests California, which has rights to 4.4 million acre-feet of water, would need to cut more than 1 million acre-feet. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the country, is formed on the Colorado River at the Hoover Dam. The past two years have also seen healthy winter snow accumulation in the Rockies only to have runoff levels into Lake Powell that were a fraction of normal, as terrain dried out by the warming climate absorbed more of the water before it can reach the reservoir. But the Interior Department said that in light of the proposal from the states, it is temporarily withdrawing the draft review so that it canfully analyze the effects of the proposal. The Bureau of Reclamation plans to update its review of alternatives, called a draft supplemental environmental impact statement, to include the states proposal as an alternative and complete the review this year. The agreement represents a major milestone in the regions efforts to grapple with the Colorado Rivers decline. Interactive Map. One of the central tensions of these complicated negotiations is how to balance cuts between farming regions against those in cities, including major population centers. Newsline is based in Denver, and coverage of activities at the Capitol are central to its mission, but its reporters are devoted to providing reliable information about topics that concern readers in all parts of the state, from Lamar to Dinosaur, from Durango to Sterling. Follow Colorado Newsline on Facebook and Twitter. Interior Department must review the proposal. This is another step toward the long-term downward adjustment in how much Colorado River water we as a region can expect to take out of the system, she said. That part of the deal has not been signed and an amount has not been determined. Sandy Huffaker/Agence France-Presse Getty Images, unilaterally imposing cuts on those states. The deal is also a victory of sorts for the Biden administration, which has at times appeared unsure how to respond to the growing crisis. Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The amount of water being used far exceeds whats actually available. Then, proceed to the summit to see Gustave Eiffel's private apartments and sip Champagne from the onsite bar (own expense). In California, the agreement would mostly affect the water supplies of farmers in the Imperial Valley. Next Post: Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Roundtable Discussion on Semiconductors, Remarks by Vice President Harris at a Roundtable Discussion on, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/05/22/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-historic-agreement-to-protect-colorado-river-system/?utm_source=link, Office of the United States Trade Representative. District officials said they hope to receive federal funds to reward the growers who cut back water deliveries and perhaps fallow crops. Learn more about the Pre-Scoping Process and Comments. But drought, population growth and climate change have dropped the rivers flows by one-third in recent years compared with historical averages, threatening to provoke a water and power catastrophe across the West. Relying largely on voluntary reductions gets around that concern. As negotiations have progressed in recent months, the Imperial Irrigation District has offered to cut its usage by 250,000 acre-feet or about 10 percent. Keegan Bradley dominated the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands, and low key has a great win profile on the PGA Tour since he debuted in 2010. There was even the risk that reservoir levels would fall so low, the water would no longer reach the intake valves that control the flow out of the lakes, essentially drying up the river downstream. Fights over those needs are a core part of the states history, and they tend to follow a pattern. 2023 Operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Photo by Mark Henle, The Republic via Reuters, 3 million acre-feet of river water through 2026, Growers brace to give up some Colorado River water, US unveils options for cutting Californias Colorado River water, Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic. During the past two decades of drought, and particularly in recent years, the rivers flow has declined, but states continue to consume more than the river provides, based on a framework established a century ago. Years ago, scientists said climate change would bring a Colorado River crisis. That is expected to significantly increase the amount of water in the river, at least temporarily. But in recent weeks, the talks progressed to a point that officials from California, Arizona and Nevada, who had deadlocked on dueling proposals previously, were able to bridge their differences. But the relief will probably be short-lived in the arid West, where population growth and worsening droughts are sapping water supplies. Well help you get your day started by explaining the issues affecting your California community. Follow Stateline on Facebook and Twitter. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat. The deal directly impacts 40 million people who rely on the river for water and power. Although users in seven Western states are legally entitled to use the Colorado River the other states are Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming there has never been enough water to supply all of them, and climate change now means even less water is available for drinking, irrigation and farming. Federal officials did not say how much water users would be paid to reduce demand, but The New York Times reported the deal is worth about $1.2 billion. California, despite using more water than any state, is the remaining holdout. Agriculture uses some 80 percent of the rivers water and also tends to have the most senior rights, some dating back to the 19th century. That would be: Were basically going to put all the cuts on the major share of the economy. This is one step.. California, which has the most-senior water rights in the region, wanted to maintain a century-old agreement while other states called for a more equitable approach that spread the cuts. This winter's heavy snows are driving up water levels across the West, including in Lake Powell, where the reservoir is rising almost a foot a day. A big, heavy lift still lies ahead.. (2:00-24:30) Then the guys re-live their round at TPC Colorado- the host of a Korn Ferry Tour event in 2 weeks. Newborn Colorado pikeminnows and razorback suckers, two endangered fish species, are going to have an easier time growing up in the San Juan River thanks to a one-of-a-kind partnership using tribal water. The proposal by the six states Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming aims to protect the major reservoirs in Lake Powell and Lake Mead from falling below critical levels, such as when the dams would no longer be able to generate electricity or at dead pool, when water would effectively be blocked from flowing out of these lakes. The states have also agreed to make additional cuts beyond the ones tied to the federal payments to generate the total reductions needed to prevent the collapse of the river. While the deal will save 3 million acre-feet of water (each acre-foot equals around 326,000 gallons), the agreement only runs through 2026. The federal government will reimburse the growers at the rate of $400 per acre foot. The Bureau of Reclamation last month laid out two options for preventing the Colorado Rivers depleted reservoirs from reaching dangerously low levels, saying the water cuts could be imposed by following the water-rights priority system or by using an across-the-board percentage. Funding announced this week from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will go to 14 projects in the Colorado River System in fiscal year 2023 to improve water conveyance and storage, increase safety . Gov. Trevor Hughes USA TODAY 0:00 2:07 DENVER Federal officials have struck a last-minute deal to pay water users in California, Arizona and Nevada to use less water from the drought-stricken. The electricity generated by dams on the rivers two main reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, powers millions of homes and businesses. Given the scope of the task, and the conditions facing the Colorado River Basin, the Department believes it is important to begin this process as soon as possible to provide ample time for a thorough, inclusive, and science-based decision-making process to be completed before the end of 2026. But the bountiful precipitation has also been a double-edged sword, creating a political challenge for negotiators trying to agree on painful cuts, according to analysts following the talks. Colorado River Cooperative Agreement (6-page summary) Kightlinger, along with many other water experts and officials, says cuts of this magnitude and severity have to be shared, rather than doled out according to seniority. 44 places to watch dazzling Fourth of July fireworks in L.A. Mone Davis is not just your average summer intern for the Dodgers, No sign of progress in L.A. hotel strike ahead of Fourth of July holiday, Thousands of hotel workers across Southern California walk off the job, Its a disaster: California farmer faces ordeal as pistachio farm sits underwater, Heat waves like the one that killed 14 in the southern U.S. are becoming more frequent, U.S. forest managers urge revelers to swap fireworks for Silly String, but some say not so fast, L.A. air the cleanest its been in a decade, but rising temperatures could change that, Alaskas slow start to wildfire season a relief after Connecticut-sized area burned last year. Todaysagreement between the Department of the Interior and seven Colorado River Basin stateson a consensus-based approachmarks an important step forward in our efforts to protect the stability of the Colorado River System in the face of climate change and historic drought conditions. The rules governing the system are not sustainable.. Another 700,000 acre-feet would come from voluntary but uncompensated reductions, officials said. The Interior Department declined to provide a breakdown showing how much of the 2.3 million acre-feet in voluntary, federally compensated reductions would come from each state. The states agreed to give up 3 million acre-feet of river water through 2026 about 13% of the amount they receive. California, as the state that uses the largest share of the Colorado River, has pledged to shoulder a large share of the reductions about 1.6 million acre-feet through 2026. May 23, 2023 Updated 9:38 AM PT. While temporary conservation can help us avert emergency, it wont solve our long-term water sustainability problems, she said. TIJUANA, Mexico (AP) Luis Ramirez leapt onto the roof of his bright blue water truck to fill the plastic tank that by day's end would empty into an assortment of buckets, barrels and cisterns . The Interior Department has now retracted its plan so it can add the states new agreement to the package of options it is considering. The negotiations over the Colorado were spurred by a crisis: Last summer, the water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest reservoirs along the river, fell enough that officials feared the hydroelectric turbines they powered might soon cease operating. In 2017 Kirk Klancke of Colorado River Headquarters Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Jessica Alexander of Denver Water and Anna Dexler-Dreis of Colorado Headwaters Land Trustpresentedat our annual Grand County State of the River public meeting. The terms of the deal were described to The New York Times by a senior official at the Interior Department who was involved in the negotiations, and who spoke on the condition that he not be identified by name. In most years, farms, cities and tribes use around 13 million acre-feet of the Colorado Rivers water, which is significantly more than the 11 million acre-feet of rain and snow that feeds into the river system in an average year. Jack Healy contributed reporting from Phoenix. In 2019, as reservoirs were dropping, water managers agreed to reduce water use under a deal called the Drought Contingency Plan. 3:29 3-Minute Listen Playlist Download Embed Transcript Now that a historic agreement on sharing the. The governors of Arizona, California and Nevada have announced a historic water-sharing agreement for the Colorado River in an attempt to salvage one of the Wests major sources of drinking water that has dwindled in severe drought. Representatives of the seven states laid out the agreement in a letter, saying they recognize that having one good winter does not solve the systemic challenges facing the Colorado River. The states representatives urged federal officials to advance the process of negotiating new rules for dealing with shortages after 2026, so that all parties can focus on their resources on developing a new long-term plan for sharing shortages. The water users were under a May 30 federal deadline to find a compromise or face the prospect of unilateral cuts by the federal officials who manage Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which are filled by the Colorado River. Together, the reductions would save three million acre-feet over the next three and a half years, above and beyond existing agreements. Tap to enable a layout that focuses on the article. The Palo Verde Irrigation District, which supplies farmlands next to the Colorado River around Blythe, plans to scale up a land-fallowing program in which growers are paid to leave some of their fields dry. More by Alastair Bland. Arizona, California and Nevada have agreed to take less water from the drought-strained Colorado River, a breakthrough agreement that, for now, keeps the river from falling so low that it would jeopardize water supplies for major Western cities like Phoenix and Los Angeles as well as for some of Americas most productive farmland. That would be a disaster. In the meantime, the next round of negotiations, about what to do after 2026, are set to begin next month. If severe, extreme drought conditions continued, then its easier for them to sell additional cuts, said Michael J. Cohen, a senior researcher with the Pacific Institute and an expert on the Colorado River. Three Western states and the federal government are nearing a deal to leave millions of gallons of water in the Colorado River 's Lake Mead - water that would have otherwise been used to. Of those savings, 1.5 million acre-feet will be conserved by the end of next year. The river has received a desperately needed boost this year from storms that left the Rocky Mountains blanketed with heavy snow. 1849 C Street NW . By: Matt Vasilogambros - May 24, 2023 5:00 am Nevada's Lake Mead, seen here in May 2022, was severely depleted after decades of drought. All seven states have called on the federal government to run an environmental analysis of the proposal. But on top of that, theres a problem with the rules, Cohen said. But officials in these farming districts with long-standing water rights do not intend to give them up without a fight or without compensation that meets their needs. Colorado River Cooperative Agreement (2-page summary) But theres this public perception that, Look, theres flooding. Those who grow alfalfa in Southern Californias Imperial and Coachella valleys would keep their water before people in parts of Los Angeles. 'DEAD POOL' APPROACHES: Western water crisis looms as California complicates critical water deal. Breeze past the crowds outside the Eiffel Tower with this skip-the-line pass and 1.5-hour tour. (An acre foot is roughly the amount that three households use per year.). He is originally from California. Western US states said Monday they have reached an agreement to cut the. The Interior Department had asked states to contribute plans by Tuesday for how to voluntarily reduce water usage by 2 million to 4 million acre-feet or up to one-third of the rivers annual average flow. For the second time in six months, states that depend on the Colorado River to sustain their farms and cities have failed to reach an agreement on restricting water usage, setting up the prospect of the federal government making unilateral cuts this year. CNN Three Southwest states announced Monday they have struck a historic deal to cut millions of gallons of Colorado River water usage over the next four years, about half of which would be.
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