Legal experts and water managers say that despite Reclamation’s posturing earlier this summer, federal officials likely don’t want to take control of the complicated situation [on the Colorado River] any more than the states want to abdicate their own position. Informal negotiations on how to save more water are underway but Becky Mitchell, who is negotiating on Colorado’s behalf as director of the state’s Water Conservation Board, said there’s no time to waste in starting a more formal process. She expects the states to officially convene before the end of the year. The sooner the better, experts agree, because the current impasse comes at a time when the path forward is narrowing quickly.

Related articles: 

• Salt Lake Tribune: Opinion: A depleted Colorado River is going to force us to rethink water in the West, Robert Gehrke writes.
• Nevada Current: Citing Nevada’s example, Cortez Masto calls on feds to make other states conserve water 
• KALW – Bay Area: One Planet - The West’s unprecedented drought leads to Colorado River cuts — experts say this is just the beginning 
• Arizona Daily Star: Opinion: Feds need to show resolve on Colorado River