LVSteve
Member
Admin Edit:
Want to keep discussing this? If so, stay away from politics and stay on this topic.
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original post:
As some know, the seven western states that take water from the Colorado (NV, CA, AZ, UT, NM, CO, WY) missed the August 2022 deadline set by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to agree a new plan with cuts in water extraction.
Since then, it has been a bit quiet, except for when an interview with a BOR rep stated that nothing was off the table, including letting Lake Powell go deadpool. To say that got everyone's attention would be an understatement. Then we have the park service saying that a further reductions in the level of Lake Mead may cause them to close the lake to recreation because of the difficulties in creating new docks and the dangers to boat navigation. You may guess how well that went down in Vegas.
The BOR reckons that water usage needs to be cut by 25% to 30% because of the current drought and the fact that the original allocations were based on erroneous data. That data overestimated the flow and probably didn't account for evaporation in the river and the reservoirs that have been created.
This week, six states came out with their plan cut usage quite drastically, and I'm sure that none of you will be in the least bit surprised to learn that California said, "That's not our plan". CA will only accept cuts of 10% and even those have to wait until Lake Mead is down to a level of 1025 feet. All other cuts have to be borne by AZ and NV. CA also doesn't accept that evaporation on the way should affect their allocation.
On top of that, CA says that they have "senior" water rights under the "Law of the River" dating back to 1922. Under that arrangement, they claim that if there is no agreement, then they can legally sit it out until 2026 when the Law of the River expires. So what about The Law of the River and the allocation that followed it being based on faulty data? La, la, la, we can't hear you here in Sacramento. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.
Lake Mead is already at 1045 ft, long past the point where the BOR demanded action. CA wants to wait another 20 ft before anything is done? It's pretty clear they just want to kick the can down the road while praying for rain.
As a casual observer, I don't think the Colorado basin has until 2026. My prediction is that the BOR will drop the hammer some time later this year, CA will take it court and it will all end up in front of SCOTUS...probably in 2026.
California is lone holdout in Colorado River cuts proposal | AP News
California releases its own plan for Colorado River cuts | AP News
Colorado River shortage: States miss deadline for deal on water cuts
Want to keep discussing this? If so, stay away from politics and stay on this topic.
/////////////////////////////////////
original post:
As some know, the seven western states that take water from the Colorado (NV, CA, AZ, UT, NM, CO, WY) missed the August 2022 deadline set by the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) to agree a new plan with cuts in water extraction.
Since then, it has been a bit quiet, except for when an interview with a BOR rep stated that nothing was off the table, including letting Lake Powell go deadpool. To say that got everyone's attention would be an understatement. Then we have the park service saying that a further reductions in the level of Lake Mead may cause them to close the lake to recreation because of the difficulties in creating new docks and the dangers to boat navigation. You may guess how well that went down in Vegas.
The BOR reckons that water usage needs to be cut by 25% to 30% because of the current drought and the fact that the original allocations were based on erroneous data. That data overestimated the flow and probably didn't account for evaporation in the river and the reservoirs that have been created.
This week, six states came out with their plan cut usage quite drastically, and I'm sure that none of you will be in the least bit surprised to learn that California said, "That's not our plan". CA will only accept cuts of 10% and even those have to wait until Lake Mead is down to a level of 1025 feet. All other cuts have to be borne by AZ and NV. CA also doesn't accept that evaporation on the way should affect their allocation.
On top of that, CA says that they have "senior" water rights under the "Law of the River" dating back to 1922. Under that arrangement, they claim that if there is no agreement, then they can legally sit it out until 2026 when the Law of the River expires. So what about The Law of the River and the allocation that followed it being based on faulty data? La, la, la, we can't hear you here in Sacramento. It would be funny if it wasn't so pathetic.
Lake Mead is already at 1045 ft, long past the point where the BOR demanded action. CA wants to wait another 20 ft before anything is done? It's pretty clear they just want to kick the can down the road while praying for rain.
As a casual observer, I don't think the Colorado basin has until 2026. My prediction is that the BOR will drop the hammer some time later this year, CA will take it court and it will all end up in front of SCOTUS...probably in 2026.
California is lone holdout in Colorado River cuts proposal | AP News
California releases its own plan for Colorado River cuts | AP News
Colorado River shortage: States miss deadline for deal on water cuts
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