Western states negotiating a deal to protect the Colorado River from extended drought and overuse have until Jan. 31 to come to an agreement before the federal government steps in, Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman said Dec. 13.
Burman gave the warning to states at the Colorado River Water Users Association annual conference in Las Vegas amid sobering projections for the levels of river reservoirs that show water shortages approaching.
Burman had hoped states would arrive at the conference ready to sign a multi-state Drought Contingency Plan that would require using less Colorado River water now to ...