"The Trump administration took a cautious approach to managing the West’s most important river, but it still might spark a legal melee."
"The Trump administration released its final plan Friday for managing the drought-stricken Colorado River over the next decade, a major milestone in the seven-state brawl over water supplies for 40 million people across the West.
The Interior Department’s plan — issued in the form of a final environmental impact statement — effectively breaks the fight into smaller chunks without resolving any of the fundamental disputes. Rather than setting decades-long rules for how the river’s supplies will be divvied up, it has the department issuing smaller plans every two years for how the river will be operated.
“The Department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. “This framework provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions while preserving the opportunity for the Basin States to continue working toward durable, consensus-based solutions.”"
Annie Snider reports for E&E News July 31, 2026.
SEE ALSO:
"Water Cuts Loom As Us Unveils Long-Awaited Response To Colorado River Crisis" (Guardian)
