After weeks of hot, dry and windy weather across western Colorado, Gunnison County Commissioners received a water-issues update on Tuesday that was filled with “sobering” news. … [T]he U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is once again considering emergency releases from Blue Mesa Reservoir to bolster falling water levels in Lake Powell. … If current conditions persist, Lake Powell is projected to fall below the critical elevation of 3,525 feet above sea level in the spring of 2026. This would be the second time that has occurred since the reservoir filled in 1980. … To complicate matters, the 2007 agreement between upper and lower Colorado River Basin states that guides decision-making in the event of shortages is set to expire in 2026.

Other Colorado River Basin news:

• ABC15 (Yuma, Ariz.): Continued drought puts pressure on states to reach new Colorado River sharing agreement
• Smart Water Magazine: USBR invests almost $200 million in water reuse in the Colorado River Basin
• The Gunnison Country Times (Colo.): Portions of Blue Mesa under toxic algae advisory
• Los Angeles Times: Opinion: River rafting in Colorado offers climate lessons for Southern California