[Video] The west’s biggest water decision looms

Sunday, July 26, 2026 — The next few days could determine how the Colorado River is managed for decades to come.

Federal officials are preparing to release the long-awaited operating blueprint for the Colorado River after 2026, a decision that could affect 40 million people, farms, tribal nations, businesses, and communities across the American West. With Lake Powell and Lake Mead sitting at 30-year lows, the pressure on the seven basin states continues to build.

This week’s Western Water Weekly video for the week ending July 25, 2026, also examines major federal policy changes involving the Endangered Species Act, proposed changes to PFAS drinking water regulations, restoration projects, wildfire recovery funding, artificial intelligence for water management, and the latest drought and reservoir conditions shaping the future of the Colorado River Basin.

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Supreme Court opens the door on a century-old water fight Drought triggers emergency releases on Yampa River EPA rolls back some PFAS rules as Congress pushes new ones Colorado snowpack trails far below average in late January