The seven Western states that rely on water from the Colorado River have run out of time for compromise to share its dwindling supplies, just as new projections show reservoir levels could sink to a critical low by the end of this year. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said on Saturday that the states had missed a Valentine’s Day deadline to reach consensus on a plan to guide use of the river over the coming decades. He said the federal Bureau of Reclamation would instead soon impose its own plan. … He acknowledged it may be difficult for states to cooperate without taking disagreements to court. That could eventually lead to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Other Colorado River news:

• AP News: States reliant on Colorado River fail to meet the latest deadline to find consensus
• Los Angeles Times: As a Colorado River deadline passes, reservoirs keep declining
• KJZZ (Phoenix): Colorado River states fail to meet water deadline during ‘extremely frustrating’ negotiations
• Nevada Current: Colorado River states miss deadline, compromise nowhere in sight
• FOX13 (Salt Lake City, Utah): No deal between states on the Colorado River, governors say
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): With no Colorado River deal in sight, risk of federal action intensifies. Here’s what that means.
• Bureau of Reclamation: Interior Department moves forward on guidelines for Colorado River absent full state consensus
• The Land Desk: Blog: The Colorado River crisis is here