Luke Runyon

The crisis on the Colorado River — six things to know States are preparing for, while trying to avoid, cutbacks to the water they get from the Colorado River. Here are some key things to know about this moment.

I spoke with author and law professor Robert Glennon about the uncertain consequences of a Colorado River court battle:

"This is rolling the dice on something that is really quite profound. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like to go to Vegas and play the craps." www.latimes.com/environment/...

Colorado River plan could wipe Arizona from the map, officials say With the Colorado River shrinking and its water rights in flux, the Central Arizona Project has assembled a coalition to campaign for its share.

A coalition of cities and water agencies led by the Central Arizona Project has started rolling out TV ads: "Arizona is being unfairly targeted for reductions of Colorado River water that would cripple our state." @brandonloomis.bsky.social @azcentral.com www.azcentral.com/story/news/l...

The Colorado River Crisis is Here States fail to reach a deal; Lake Powell Deadpool appears imminent

The impasse among the states is pushing Glen Canyon Dam closer to the brink. "Aridification is rendering the dam obsolete, at least as a water storage savings account," @landdesk.bsky.social writes: www.landdesk.org/p/the-colora...

Even after last week's wallop of winter snow, Upper Colorado River basin snowpack is still at a record low.

The March forecast is looking warm and dry across the Southwest and southern Rockies. Wouldn't be surprised to see water supply forecasts approach record lows too.

New projections out today show Lake Powell -- nation's second largest reservoir -- careening toward a loss of hydropower production as early as July 2026. Even the more optimistic model shows it losing power in December.

Meanwhile, the basin's leaders today admit failure on crafting new policy.

Less federal pressure, worsening drought, and more interstate tension loom over Colorado River talks The federal government manages the biggest dams on the Colorado River, but it hasn’t been taking a forceful role in negotiations between the states on how to allocate increasingly scarce water in the ...

Past Colorado River agreements have been pushed over the finish line due to federal pressure and real threats.

But the Trump administration, which uses threats to spur action on nearly every other policy front, has taken an uncharacteristic back seat in this current round of talks:

Still a day away from the federal deadline for Colorado River states to submit a detailed plan for cuts, but hopes for any last minute deal are gone.

Nevada's negotiator John Entsminger is calling it: "The basin states have failed."

Drought-triggered restriction on North Platte River squeezes spigots for Wyoming towns - WyoFile Though full extent of the water pinch is unknown, the state is asking municipalities to assess potential water service shortfalls.

State water officials are asking towns and industry along the North Platte River to assess their water rights and whether they might have to tap into an emergency water bank.

For now, those with "junior" rights must shut off their spigots, with little snow and water relief in the forecast.

What is lost when environmental coverage is cut Word that the Washington Post would be cutting roughly one-third of its staff spread quickly this week. Among those affected were at least a dozen reporters, editors, and visual journalists covering c...

It's not just the WaPost, @rhettayersbutler.bsky.social writes: "It reflects a wider weakening of the institutions responsible for producing and maintaining a shared factual record, particularly on subjects that are politically contested and structurally complex." news.mongabay.com/2026/02/what...

Still lots of uncertainty in how spring snowpack accumulation will shake out, but it's possible the Colorado River into Lake Powell could be heading toward a new record low flow this year, per @nws.noaa.gov's Colorado Basin River Forecast Center:

Graph showing the NOAA Colorado Basin River Forecast Center's forecasts of April to July inflows to Lake Powell from 1991 to 2026, with colored lines showing how each season's forecast evolved from January through July. The latest Forecast, February 2026, is the lowest outlook for this time of year since at least 1991.

Given the latest NOAA CBRFC inflow forecast for Lake Powell, I dusted off this plot from my Twitter days and updated it.

The Feb 1st outlook for Colorado River flows hasn't been this poor in >35 years. Even if wetter weather ahead, bottom-10 outcome likely.

h/t @glenwoodrek.bsky.social

More grim news about the West's snow drought:

🛰️ Lowest Feb. 1 snow cover in the satellite record (since 2001)

📉 Record-low Feb. 1 statewide snowpack in Oregon, Colorado, and Utah

⚠️ “A Dry, Warm January Leaves the West With the Worst Snowpack in Decades”

www.drought.gov/drought-stat...

How failing negotiations could spiral into a bitter fight over the Colorado River Negotiators for seven states remain deeply divided over how to cut water use along the Colorado River. The chances of a court battle appear to be growing.

How failing negotiations could spiral into a bitter fight over the Colorado River

As the deadlock persists, the chances of a court battle are growing. Arizona's negotiator says without a deal, a lawsuit is likely.

I spoke with Colorado's governor about the impasse:
www.latimes.com/environment/...

Colorado River Negotiators Are Nearly Out of Time and Snowpack - Inside Climate News With another federal deadline only weeks away and record-low snowfall further drying out the watershed, states have begun talking about whether they are prepared for litigation.

Collapse of the Colorado River system is almost inevitable at this point, and a deal to stop it looks unlikely as Arizona and Colorado ramp up talks of settling their disputes in court.

My latest with @jakebolster.bsky.social.

insideclimatenews.org/news/0402202...

Utah's statewide snowpack level is now at a record low for this time in early February. That's based on data from the state's network of snow survey sites, which began in 1980.

Governors Dive Into an Impasse Over Colorado River Water Use

“I’m hopeful — and maybe it’s wildly delusional — that these new voices are going to be thinking bigger picture."

Western governors head to Washington to wade into messy water battle, from @byscottdance.com:

Colorado water officials plan for “exceedingly grim” drought forecasts, low reservoir levels A warm and dry winter is raising concerns about extremely low reservoir levels, hydropower generation and summer recreation.

The Colorado River's biggest reservoirs are in rough shape.

Snowpack in the headwaters is at an historic low point.

The policy and guidelines to manage the river are inadequate.

And no one in power can say they didn't see it coming. Really the most meaningful shortage is of political will.

Even with the weekend snows, Upper Colorado River basin snowpack is still at a record low with barely a flake in the 10-day forecast.

Op-Ed | Interior Department Needs To Address Drought's Impact On Colorado River There is an urgent need for the Department of the Interior to begin planning for ways to increase the amount of water that can flow through or around Glen Canyon Dam, which impounds the Colorado River...

Op-Ed: “There is no time to wait.” @ronrudolph.bsky.social says the Bureau of Reclamation should begin engineering and environmental studies to modify Glen Canyon Dam so water can reliably and sustainably get through or around it. www.nationalparkstraveler.org/2026/01/op-e...

The Winter Storm Severity Index for the next 3 days shows the huge footprint of this dangerous weather system.

WSSI highlights areas where travel and daily life may be disrupted by snow, ice, and wind.

www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wss...

This is great reporting, Ian. Thank you!

Western governors called to Washington as Colorado River impasse drags on Talks among seven states on Colorado River water cutbacks have hit a wall. The Trump administration summoned governors to Washington, DC to try to get an agreement.

With Colorado River negotiations at an impasse, the Trump administration has called the governors of seven states to a meeting in Washington to try to hash out a consensus.
www.latimes.com/environment/... @latimes.com

Colorado River talks: States are still at odds but working toward a 5-year plan  • Utah News Dispatch In Colorado River negotiations, states are still at odds but working toward a 5-year plan, Utah's top negotiator said.

*opens laptop to check in on Colorado River negotiators*

"After four days of talks, 'we got tired of each other.'"

*closes laptop*

utahnewsdispatch.com/2026/01/20/c...

In Burned Forests, the West’s Snowpack Is Melting Earlier KEY POINTS Elevation, temperature, burn severity, vegetation type, and the amount of incoming solar radiation are among the drivers explaining when snowpack disappears after a wildfire. Wildfires had ...

Another climate feedback loop: Snowpack has trouble sticking around after forests are burned in megafires www.circleofblue.org/2025/water-c...

As of today we have a new record low snowpack for the Upper Colorado River basin for late January.

Federal lawmakers call for investigation of Wyoming’s Budd-Falen for possible criminal, ethics violations - WyoFile The call focuses on a $3.5 million water contract with lithium miners and the Budd-Falen’s role approving it as part of President Trump’s Interior Department.

BREAKING: Two members of Congress have asked federal officials to investigate Wyoming lawyer Karen Budd-Falen for possible corruption while serving in President Trump's Interior Department.

The embroglio involves a Nevada lithium mine and a water contract with her family ranch.

A quick Colorado River 2026 snowpack check:

-currently trending below 2002 (lowest runoff on record)
-about to tie 2018 (lowest snowpack on record for late January)
-warm and dry conditions predicted for February, March, April across the Southwest

Living on Earth: Western Water Crisis Boiling Over The Colorado River provides water to seven western states, and there is not enough to go around. Recently the federal government ordered the states to agree on a plan on how to share what's left amid ...

Went on Living on Earth this week to discuss the current dire hydrology and policy stalemate on the Colorado River: www.loe.org/shows/segmen...

Arizona draws a line on groundwater use after letting Saudi-owned company pump freely for years Arizona's governor says the state will start limiting groundwater pumping in an area where a Saudi farm grows hay and aquifer levels are dropping.

"Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said Monday that her administration is acting to 'crack down on the out-of-state special interests that are pumping our state dry while Arizona families and farmers suffer.'" From @ianjames.bsky.social www.latimes.com/environment/...

It's just wild to see in the federal government's own models how close the nation's second largest reservoir is to losing hydropower production, potentially for months on end in early 2027.

Is the plan to just drain Flaming Gorge, Blue Mesa and Navajo to keep it propped up another year?