Overview
- Negotiators failed to meet the Nov. 11 target set by acting Reclamation Commissioner Scott Cameron, providing no basin-wide framework for post-2026 river operations.
- The Interior Department, Reclamation, and all seven states issued a joint statement saying progress warrants continued negotiations, with no timeline yet specified for next steps.
- A core dispute persists between Lower Basin states seeking mandatory reductions and Upper Basin states favoring voluntary or compensated cuts, along with disagreements over releases from Lake Powell.
- Lake Mead is about 31% full and Lake Powell 29%, as research shows roughly a 20% decline in river flows since 2000, raising risks to supplies and hydropower if dry conditions continue.
- Tribal leaders warn they are being sidelined as talks drag on, while federal intervention or court fights remain possible if no deal is reached before current guidelines lapse in fall 2026.