Utah Bolsters Colorado River Authority Amid Stalled Negotiations

Lawmakers amend bill to strengthen state's position as talks over river's future continue to falter

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A simple bill to move the Colorado River Authority of Utah from the Governor's Office to the Department of Natural Resources has been amended to bolster the authority's power to defend Utah's interests as negotiations between the seven states that rely on the Colorado River have stalled. The move comes as the states have missed deadlines set by the Trump administration to reach a new agreement, with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation warning of dire conditions, including a potential 50-foot drop in Lake Powell's elevation and the possibility of the Glen Canyon Dam ceasing power generation by December.

Why it matters

The Colorado River is a vital water source for more than 40 million people across the Western United States, and the ongoing negotiations between the seven states that rely on it have significant implications for Utah's water supply and economic future. The amendments to this bill signal Utah's determination to take a more assertive stance in protecting its interests as the talks continue to falter.

The details

House Bill 473, sponsored by Rep. Scott Chew, R-Jensen, was originally intended to simply move the Colorado River Authority of Utah from the Governor's Office to the Department of Natural Resources. However, lawmakers have added language to the bill to bolster the authority's power to defend Utah's interests in the high-stakes negotiations over the river's future. Rep. Chew said the amendments were necessary because the seven states have failed to reach a new agreement, putting Utah and other states that rely on the river in a "tough spot." The states have missed deadlines set by the Trump administration, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is now advancing its own proposals for managing the river while warning of dire conditions, including a potential 50-foot drop in Lake Powell's elevation and the possibility of the Glen Canyon Dam ceasing power generation by December.

  • The states missed another deadline set by the Trump administration to get a deal.
  • Lake Powell could drop 50-feet in elevation this year.
  • The Bureau of Reclamation warns that Glen Canyon Dam could cease to generate power by December.

The players

Rep. Scott Chew

A Republican state representative from Jensen, Utah, and the sponsor of House Bill 473.

Sen. Nate Blouin

A Democratic state senator from Salt Lake City who questioned why the bill scrapped any mention of the Colorado River Authority of Utah's mission to protect and conserve Colorado River water.

Gene Shawcroft

The Colorado River Commissioner for Utah, who pushed back on assertions by Lower Basin states that Utah and others in the Upper Basin failed to come up with any concrete conservation solutions.

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation

The federal agency that is advancing its own proposals for managing the Colorado River and warning of dire conditions, including a potential 50-foot drop in Lake Powell's elevation and the possibility of the Glen Canyon Dam ceasing power generation by December.

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What they’re saying

“Those of us that rely on the Colorado River, it's put us in kind of a tough spot. We know what litigation will do and our portion of the Colorado River extends across the state.”

— Rep. Scott Chew, State Representative (castlecountryradio.com)

“The focus, frankly, has turned to rather than a 5 year deal, turned to what do we do for the next 12 months and then potentially the next 24 months. So as we meet again, that will be the focus of our conversation. How do we survive? How do we get by with an incredibly horrible hydrology, with low reservoirs, with an extremely warm winter.”

— Gene Shawcroft, Colorado River Commissioner for Utah (castlecountryradio.com)

What’s next

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