ALBUQUERQUE — On Friday, the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), through the Bureau of Reclamation, (Reclamation) released their final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) regarding future Colorado River operations.
The governors of the four Upper Basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — issued the following statement in response:
“While the final details are still being analyzed by Upper Division States, we are encouraged that new operating guidelines will better reflect existing water supply, which must underpin any practicable plan going forward. Key elements of the operations described in the final EIS, and the imminently anticipated Record of Decision, will rely on outstanding agreements that have yet to be finalized. It will be difficult to fully assess the effectiveness of operations in the Basin until the agreements are finalized and implemented.
“Many hours of meetings and negotiations took place between the Colorado River Basin states and these discussions will continue. We are witnessing the lowest reservoir levels in the Colorado River System’s history and there is no guarantee regarding the future water supply. Today’s framework does not represent a final solution, but enables the River to be managed in the short-term while the seven states and DOI continue to negotiate a consensus solution.
“The water supply realities of the Basin cannot be ignored or papered over. States in both the Upper and Lower divisions of the basin are feeling the pain of severe drought. This is a reality that all states, and the federal government, will need to address practically, which is why a seven-state agreement will provide the best outcome for all water users in the Colorado River Basin. We are committed to continued good-faith discussions with our counterparts.”
