- Seven Colorado River Basin states missed a key November negotiation deadline.
- Major reservoirs are now more than two-thirds empty, according to recent reports.
- The river supports more than 40 million people and a $1.4 trillion economy.
- A new interstate deadline is set for February 14, 2026.
Thursday, December 18, 2025 — As of December 2025, tensions among the seven Colorado River Basin states have intensified, with negotiations over how to share dwindling water supplies approaching a potential federal takeover. The dispute involves Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, all of which rely on the Colorado River as a foundational water source.
According to a KSL News Utah report
aired on December 16, 2025, negotiations among the states have grown increasingly strained, with talks described as tense and unproductive. The disagreement has drawn national attention, prompting federal officials to travel to Las Vegas to help facilitate discussions over how remaining river supplies should be distributed.
Reservoirs Shrink as Demand Remains High.
A recent assessment titled Colorado River Insights: Dancing with Deadpool underscores the seriousness of the situation. The report finds that major reservoirs, which once held roughly four years’ worth of Colorado River flows, are now more than two-thirds empty. Despite years of conservation efforts, water levels continue to decline.
The Colorado River supplies water to more than 40 million people across the Southwest and supports an economic footprint estimated at more than $1.4 trillion annually. Agriculture, cities, tribes, hydropower generation, and ecosystems all depend on its continued reliability.
Signs of Strain in Interstate Cooperation.
The assessment was prepared by the Colorado River Research Group, which includes academic researchers and non-governmental organizations. The report suggests that collaborative crisis management among the basin states may be nearing a breaking point, as longstanding disagreements over water rights and future cuts remain unresolved.
Utah water expert Gene Shawcroft told KSL News Utah in November 2025 that, despite the tensions, states throughout the basin have reduced per-capita water use and implemented aggressive conservation measures.
“We continue to use less water per person throughout the entire basin,” Shawcroft said. “Every state is involved in aggressive conservation measures, and those measures are ultimately what we will have to continue to do in order to stretch this water supply as far as we possibly can.”
Missed Deadlines and Federal Authority.
The seven states were expected to reach an agreement on water distribution by November 2025, but that deadline passed without a deal. A new deadline of February 14, 2026, has now been set.
If the states fail to reach consensus by that date, federal intervention becomes increasingly likely. Under existing law, the federal government has authority to step in and impose operating rules for Colorado River reservoirs if the states cannot agree on their own framework.
Federal officials have signaled that while state-led solutions remain preferable, continued inaction could force Washington to make unilateral decisions affecting water deliveries across the West.
What Comes Next.
Conference discussions on the Colorado River are scheduled to continue through the end of the week, with state officials and experts outlining potential paths forward. With reservoir levels low and climate-driven aridification continuing, the stakes surrounding these negotiations remain exceptionally high.
