A Major Colorado River Decision Looms

The federal government, which has been no friend to the conservation movement in recent years, is poised to announce a major decision about the fate of the shrinking Colorado River — a crucial water supply for 40 million people across two countries, seven states and 30 tribes.

Over the past few decades, the worst drought in at least a millennium has parched the Western landscape and caused reservoirs to dwindle. A historically warm and snowless winter reduced this year's flow to a trickle. Water levels behind two of the nation's largest dams are in danger of dropping so low that the dams stop functioning.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old regulations for managing shortages in the basin are due to expire at the end of this year; the river's disparate users have been unable to agree on a rescue plan.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.