Our latest “Western Water Weekly” videos look at the high-stakes Colorado River deadline drama and statewide water reforms.
Colorado River Deadline Looms: No Deal Yet as Western States Clash Over Water | Nov 10 Report
Tensions are rising across the Colorado River Basin. In this episode, we intentionally delayed publication in hopes of a breakthrough—but as of November 10, no agreement has been reached. The seven basin states remain deeply divided over how to share a river that supports 40 million people and fuels massive economies across the West.
This week’s report walks through the unresolved sticking points, California’s historic dip in water use, and Arizona’s landmark Queen Creek groundwater transfer that’s reshaping regional water strategy. We also explore the proposal for a new Active Management Area in Ranegras Plain, the soaring water demand of hyperscale data centers, and the revival of Indigenous fire and water stewardship.
The episode closes with the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, spotlighting where conditions are worsening—and where early winter storms are finally bringing some relief.
Can the West Solve Its Water Crisis? | November 17 Report
The biggest water story of the week is the deal that didn’t happen. The seven Colorado River Basin states have missed the November 11 deadline to finalize a post-2026 operating agreement. After two years of negotiations—and a final in-person push on Veterans Day—talks broke down without resolution. Arizona is urging the federal government to act quickly, California wants the “plane to land,” and the system’s two major reservoirs remain only one-third full.
This episode also unpacks California’s sweeping new Senate Bill 72, which requires a long-term plan to secure nine million acre-feet of new supply by 2040 through conservation, recycling, stormwater projects, desalination, and aquifer recharge.
In Arizona, land subsidence in the Willcox Basin has reached crisis levels—sinking more than eleven feet in places after decades of groundwater withdrawals. New satellite data may help refine future management, but meaningful improvement will require real reductions in pumping.
We also cover new research questioning assumptions about managed aquifer recharge and highlight a historic first: the Colorado River Indian Tribes have declared the river a legal person under tribal law. The move joins a global trend toward granting ecosystems legal standing.
The episode finishes with a November 13 drought update—soaking storms in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest, warm and dry conditions in the Southwest, and persistent Basin-wide drought stress.
