With the recent expiration of a federal deadline, California now finds itself sharply at odds with six other states over how to take less water from the shrinking Colorado River.
Lake Mead
Amid a major drought in the Western U.S., a proposed solution comes up repeatedly: large-scale river diversions, including pumping Mississippi River water to parched states.
California has submitted its own plan for cuts to conserve water along the drought-stricken Colorado River, but its plan differs from one submitted by the six other states that also draw water from the river.
California released a plan Tuesday detailing how Western states reliant on the Colorado River should save more water. It came a day after the six other states in the river basin made a competing proposal.
Six out of seven Colorado River basin states have settled on a proposed set of cuts aimed at saving the crumbling river system and preventing Lake Mead and Lake Powell from crashing — with one very notable state missing from the agreement.
Competing priorities and outsized demands stymied a deal last summer on how to drastically reduce water use from the parched Colorado River.
A federal deadline to make cuts in water use from Lake Mead, Lake Powell and the rest of the Colorado River hits next week.
While not enough to fend off the falling water levels entirely, the snow that has dropped in recent weeks across the mountains that feed the river is expected to slow the decline at Lake Mead.
The company that installed the ramp said it will let boaters launch watercraft and keep the reservoir accessible to the public.
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen has come out against one idea to deal with shrinking water levels at Lake Mead, eliminating boat ramps rather than moving them to keep up with the decline.
A plane that made an emergency landing on Lake Mead in October was found last month at the bottom of the lake by a local consulting firm.
The Rocky Mountains snow season has had a good start, but whether it will be enough to buoy levels at Lake Mead and along the Colorado River remains to be seen.
The Las Vegas Valley Water District has given formal approval to rules that will drastically reduce the amount of water golf courses in the region will be allowed starting in 2024.
The park service has extended the deadline for comments on various proposals for how to manage and maintain launch ramps for motorized boaters at Lake Mead.
Federal officials underscored the need for urgent action to deal with ongoing drought along the Colorado River at a water users conference in Las Vegas on Friday.
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