Overview
- Six of the seven basin governors met for about two hours in Washington with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, voiced cautious optimism, and agreed to continue talks, with negotiators set to reconvene by phone Monday.
- Lower Basin states proposed cutting 1.5 million acre-feet and want shared, mandatory reductions in dry years, while Upper Basin leaders reiterated they will not impose compulsory cuts on their water users.
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom did not attend, sending Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, who said he is cautiously optimistic that a seven-state agreement is possible.
- With Lake Mead and Lake Powell near historic lows and weak snowpack forecasts, a recent Bureau of Reclamation analysis warned that deep reductions may be unavoidable to stabilize reservoir storage and protect hydropower.
- If no consensus emerges by mid-February, Interior’s federal alternatives remain in play and the states are preparing for potential litigation, with Arizona warning that cuts outlined in some scenarios could severely impact the Central Arizona Project and its economy.