Nevada and the other Colorado River basin states are laying out their goals for the future of the river that supplies water to some 40 million Americans in the Southwest. States, cities, farmers, tribes, environmental groups and more submitted comments this month to the Bureau of Reclamation as part of the lengthy process for rewriting the rules that govern how the river and its major dams and reservoirs will be managed in the coming decades. The ideas run the gamut: from California farmers with the oldest and most senior rights calling for the new rules to follow the longstanding priority system, to calls for the federal government to evaluate retrofitting — or even decommissioning — Glen Canyon Dam at Lake Powell in order to protect water levels at Lake Mead.

Related articles: 

• Arizona Family: New CAP manager weighs in on Colorado River water supply, current challenges
• Food and Water Watch: Breaking down what we need to save the Colorado River
• University of New Mexico: Blog: Report from Santa Fe talks water with UNM’s John Fleck