… As Colorado River rules near expiration, the federal government published Jan. 9 a long-anticipated menu of options for how to replace them and manage the overstressed river basin going forward. … But only one of the possible management plans shows what the Bureau of Reclamation currently has the legal authority to do without approval from the seven basin states, according to the report. And the state negotiators have been at an impasse for nearly two years. That option, called the basic coordination alternative, calls for moderate water cuts in the driest years and would only work for the short term, according to the 1,600-page draft report, called an environmental impact statement, or EIS.

Other Colorado River news:

• Aspen Journalism (Colo.): Colorado River experts say some management options don’t go far enough to address scarcity, climate change
• FOX13 (Salt Lake City, Utah): This new pipeline will keep water flowing for 1.6 million Utahns in a disaster​
• The Desert Review (Brawley, Calif.): IID reviews federal study on river operations after 2026​
• The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, Utah): The feds are reviewing arid Washington County’s reuse plans
• Imperial Irrigation District: News release: IID works to ensure post-2026 Colorado River plan is lawful, durable, and basinwide