The Department of the Interior has adopted a decision framework for the coordinated operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead from 2027 to 2036. The decision follows the expiration of several major reservoir and water management agreements in 2026 and a lack of consensus among the seven Basin States regarding long-term operations.
The decision framework was established after the Secretary of the Interior convened the seven Colorado River Governors to facilitate a consensus-based approach, but the states were unable to reach an agreement. Consequently, the Department adopted an adaptive decision framework that provides a 10-year period of management through 2036. This framework is designed to respond to changing hydrologic conditions and allows for the development of specific operating guidelines in anticipated 2-year intervals.
Officials noted that the Colorado River Basin has been experiencing an unprecedented multidecadal drought for 26 years. In 2026, hydrologic conditions worsened due to the lowest observed snowpack on record during the winter of 2025–2026. As of the publication of the report, the combined contents of Lake Powell and Lake Mead reached 12.5 million acre-feet, a level not seen since before Lake Powell began filling in 1963.
The framework includes operational sideboards to provide flexibility for managing water use. These sideboards include enhanced coordinated reservoir operations and expanded storage and delivery of conserved system and non-system water. The Secretary retains legal authority to take operational actions to protect critical federal infrastructure, such as Glen Canyon Dam, during extraordinary circumstances.
The new operations are scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026. The decision framework aims to balance the needs of the Basin while protecting the reliability of the Colorado River System and its infrastructure.
