More than a century has passed since the seven states in the Colorado River Basin signed a compact to divide the River’s water among themselves. Congress approved the Colorado River Compact and a 1944 treaty committing River water to Mexico. The US Bureau of Reclamation built large dams, including Hoover Dam and Glen Canyon Dam, to manage the River’s flows, produce electricity, and stabilize the water supply.

Since 2000, the Basin has experienced severe drought and reservoir water levels have reached record lows. In recent decades, the states have negotiated how to address lower water availability. Tribes in the Basin also have played an expanding role in River discussions, negotiating settlement agreements to address their water rights. Several of the major reservoir and water management agreements that guide Colorado River operations, however, expire in 2026.

In order to address the expiring agreements, the Department of the Interior began engaging the Basin States, Basin Tribes, partner Federal agencies, and other stakeholders in pursuit of new consensus-based long-term operating guidelines. Interior recently issued a “Decision Framework” for Colorado River operations, particularly for 2027-28.

This NJC Dividing the Waters webinar offers an update on the Colorado River from two experts on the River. University of Colorado’s Anne Castle and Stanford’s Felicia Marcus, both long-serving officials in state and federal governments, will discuss the latest from the Colorado River and where they anticipate its issues will go in the years ahead.