One way to save massive amounts of water from the drying Colorado River — state and federal officials had hoped — was to effectively buy water this year from farmers and ranchers with a $125 million conservation program. But very few are taking the offer. Or those willing to sell were turned away. … Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, which make up the river’s upper basin, launched the System Conservation Pilot Program late last year, offering money to farmers and others willing to forgo their water use this year, restarting a water-saving initiative that ran just a few years ago. This time around, though, the program is slated to spend twice as much to save a fifth less water, Colorado River officials say.

Related articles: 

• Mother Jones: The Colorado River Wars Are Based on Bad Math
• Arizona Daily Star: Wet year amid Colorado River drought puts water-use cuts in question
• Mexico Daily Post: These are the states of Mexico that will run out of water in 2050.