The federal government released a Final Environmental Impact Statement on Friday outlining management alternatives for the Colorado River through 2036, a move that has intensified the debate over how to distribute water reductions across the basin. While the plan offers various management paths, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs warned that certain federal options could impose "draconian" water cuts on her state, potentially threatening regional stability.
Arizona Warns of Draconian Cuts
The release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation marks a critical juncture for the Colorado River Basin. The document provides a broad range of alternatives for how the river will be managed over the next decade, according to a statement from Governor Katie Hobbs on July 31, 2026.
Governor Hobbs stated that the federal government has the opportunity to adopt a "commonsense, compromise proposal" put forward by the Lower Basin States for the years 2027 and 2028. She described this Lower Basin proposal as one of the largest conservation programs in the history of the Colorado River.
Without the implementation of the Lower Basin agreement, Hobbs warned that Arizona could face federal water cuts to the Central Arizona Project (CAP) supply of up to 77% during 2027 and 2028. The Governor argued that inequitable, federally imposed cuts would put every American at risk by impacting critical sectors such as agriculture, defense systems, and the high-tech economy.
A Legacy of Water Compacts
The debate over water management is underscored by the historical context of the Colorado River Compact of 1922. This century-old agreement established the foundation for interstate cooperation, granting both the Upper and Lower Basins the exclusive beneficial use of 7.5 million acre-feet of river water annually.
Subsequent legislation, such as the 1948 Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, further defined the shares for the Upper Basin. Under that compact, the available supply is distributed among Colorado (51.75%), Utah (23%), Wyoming (14%), and New Mexico (11.25%).
In response to the driest eight-year period on record, the Colorado River Basin States established the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines to coordinate the operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead. These guidelines were designed to provide for coordinated operations and to manage reductions in use for the Lower Basin during low reservoir conditions.
Protecting Utah's Water Supply
The Colorado River Authority of Utah (The Authority) remains a central figure in defending the interests of Utah residents. According to the Authority, one-third of Utahns rely on the Colorado River for their drinking water. The organization was established in 2021 through landmark legislation sponsored by the House Speaker and Senate President in the Utah State Legislature to protect Utah's right to use waters from the Colorado River system.
The Authority's mission is to defend every drop, a necessity driven by record low runoff on the Colorado River and historically low storage in major reservoirs like Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The organization works closely with the six other Colorado River Division states, which include Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Nevada.
Authority Governance and Representation
The Authority's leadership includes Chair Gene Shawcroft, the Colorado River Commissioner of Utah, who represents the state on all Colorado River issues and serves on the Upper Colorado River Commission. The board consists of seven members representing water users across the state, Utah's Colorado River Tribes, and the governor.
Members of the board include Vice Chair Joel Ferry, a governor's appointee, and Dan Larsen, who represents the Uintah Basin Area including Duchesne and Uintah Counties. Other representatives include Jay Mark Humphrey for the Price and San Rafael Area, Zach Renstrom for the Virgin River Area, and Joel Williams, the Director of the Utah Division of Water Resources.
Declining River Usage
Recent water accounting from the Bureau of Reclamation highlights the shifting landscape of the river's usage. In 2025, the Colorado River consumptive use by the Lower Basin was 5.75 million acre-feet, the lowest level recorded since 1983.
Arizona's Colorado River use in 2025 was also noted as the second lowest since 1992. Despite these reductions, Governor Hobbs noted that previous federal proposals requesting conservation commitments of 2% reductions to average annual water use in the Upper Basin have been rejected.
The Lower Basin Proposal seeks to mitigate these pressures by having Arizona, California, and Nevada commit to conserving over 3.2 million acre-feet of water in Lake Mead over a two-year period to benefit the entire basin.
Looking Toward 2027
As the federal government moves toward finalizing operating plans for 2027 and 2028, the tension between the Upper and Lower Basin states remains high. Governor Hobbs' administration has pledged to work "around the clock" to advocate for an approach that ensures water security and equitable distribution.
For Utah, the mission of the Colorado River Authority of Utah remains focused on long-term stability. The Authority continues to work on post-2026 operations criteria and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process to shape the future of Colorado River operations.
Infrastructure and Development
The history of the river is also marked by federal laws like the Colorado River Storage Project Act of 1956 and the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968. These laws authorized the construction of major dams, including the Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona and the Flaming Gorge Dam in Utah, which allows the Central Utah Project to place a large share of Utah's water into beneficial use.
