Negotiations Continue as Colorado River Management Rules Set to Expire

State and federal water officials are working under a tightening timeline to reach a consensus on how water from the Colorado River will be managed after current rules expire later this year.

Nevada and six other states that rely on the river’s water have been in negotiations for more than two years to develop a plan for sharing and conserving water supplies. Those talks address how to operate the system of reservoirs that supply water to cities, farms and businesses across the Southwest once the existing operating guidelines end at the close of 2026.

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which oversees the river under federal law, has extended a deadline to mid-February for states to put forward a joint framework. A draft environmental report outlining options for post-2026 river operations was released in January, and public comment on that document continues into March.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs traveled to Washington, D.C., to participate in talks with federal officials about the water agreement. Negotiators from Nevada and other basin states are also engaged in discussions, as drought, climate impacts and population growth strain limited supplies.

Efforts to reach consensus have been difficult. States have differed on how to share water reductions during dry years and which reservoirs should drive future operations. Federal officials have said that if the states cannot agree on a plan, they will implement their own rules for managing the river’s water and reservoirs.

Water from the Colorado River supports roughly 40 million people in the United States and Mexico. Nevada receives a share of this water for municipal and agricultural use, and Lake Mead, which holds water for the Lower Basin states, has experienced historic lows amid ongoing drought.

As the February deadline approaches, governors, negotiators and federal leaders are under pressure to finalize a long-term approach that balances competing demands in a region facing persistent water scarcity.