Representatives of the four upstream Colorado River states called Tuesday for the Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation to mediate talks among the Western states that are warring over a water-sharing deal for the drought-riddled waterway. “I think it’s worth us recommending that the seven states and Reclamation engage with us in a mediated process,” said Estevan López, New Mexico’s lead Colorado River negotiator and a former Obama-era Reclamation commissioner. “Every single state has said that litigation is not a good outcome; we ought to put our money where our mouth is,” he said, noting that talks have come down to the wire with rules governing the river set to expire at the end of August. 

Other Colorado River management news:

• AP News: Water to surge into drought-depleted Lake Powell but at costs elsewhere
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Colorado River states voice reluctant support for releases from Flaming Gorge
• Arizona’s Family (Phoenix): Colorado River crisis deepens as reservoirs near key threshold
• FOX13 (Salt Lake City): House Speaker Schultz says Flaming Gorge water release gives him ‘heartburn’
• University of Delaware: Blog: UD doctoral students study the impact of golf courses on water scarcity in the Colorado River Basin
• KJZZ (Phoenix): New Colorado River plans could harm native fish in Grand Canyon
• E&E News by Politico: It’s a terrible year along the Colorado River — except for these fish