Missed Deadline Casts Doubt on Colorado River Cooperation

Governors from six of the seven states that rely on the dwindling Colorado River have missed a deadline to agree on use of the river and the reservoirs Lake Powell and Lake Mead.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The seven Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have failed to reach an agreement on how to share the river's dwindling supplies by a federal deadline. The existing rules for managing the river and its reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, expired last year and no longer reflect the reality of a river basin that has been steadily warming and drying in recent decades due to climate change. Without a seven-state deal on water use cuts, it would be up to federal officials to divvy up the water, which could spark litigation.

Why it matters

The Colorado River is a crucial water source for 40 million people and irrigates millions of acres of crops across the Western U.S. The failure to reach an agreement on managing the river's diminishing supplies raises concerns about potential legal battles and the federal government's ability to impose a solution that satisfies all seven states.

The details

The states acknowledged they would miss a Saturday deadline set by the federal Bureau of Reclamation to agree on a plan to guide use of the river and the nation's largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The upper basin states - Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming - have resisted any permanent cuts in water use because their water supply, upstream of the shrinking reservoirs, is more variable. Meanwhile, the lower basin states - California, Arizona and Nevada - have called for all seven states to share in the responsibility of conservation.

  • The existing rules for managing the Colorado River and its reservoirs expired last year.
  • The federal Bureau of Reclamation set a Saturday deadline for the seven states to agree on a new plan.
  • The governors of California, Arizona and Nevada missed the deadline in a joint statement on Friday.

The players

Bureau of Reclamation

The federal agency that manages the Colorado River and its reservoirs.

California, Arizona and Nevada

The three lower basin states that rely on the Colorado River.

Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming

The four upper basin states that rely on the Colorado River.

Scott Cameron

The acting Reclamation Bureau commissioner.

John Entsminger

The general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The federal deadline for a consensus agreement on managing the Colorado River after 2026 is passing for a second time without resolution. Our stance remains firm and fair: All seven basin states must share in the responsibility of conservation.”

— Governors of California, Arizona and Nevada (The New York Times)

“The basin's poor hydrologic outlook highlights the necessity for collaboration.”

— Scott Cameron, Acting Reclamation Bureau Commissioner (The New York Times)

“The river doesn't care about legal interpretations, political comfort zones, or arguments about why a state can't do more to conserve. While I will continue to work with my Colorado River counterparts in hopes of finding a workable solution to this crisis, we must also prepare to fight for our water supply if it comes to that.”

— John Entsminger, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority (The New York Times)

What’s next

Without a seven-state deal on water use cuts, it would be up to federal officials to divvy up the Colorado River's dwindling supplies, which could spark litigation and end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

The takeaway

The failure to reach an agreement on managing the Colorado River's diminishing supplies highlights the growing tensions and challenges facing the Western states as they grapple with the impacts of climate change on their shared water resources. The inability to compromise could lead to a protracted legal battle that could further complicate efforts to ensure a reliable water supply for the region.