In an effort to address the historic-low water level at Lake Mead, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Tuesday approved an agreement with the federal government to help add water to the reservoir. On Tuesday, Metropolitan’s Board of Directors approved an agreement with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which will provide the agency up to $65 million to keep up to 200,000 acre-feet of its Colorado River supplies in the lake this year. … The board also approved two other agreements with the Quechan Tribe and Bard Water District, allowing the federal government to fund the addition of up to 19,000 acre-feet of conserved agricultural water to Lake Mead annually in 2027 and 2028.

Other Colorado River management news:

• The Daily Sentinel (Grand Junction, Colo.): Blue Mesa Reservoir in crisis amid historic drought, causing downstream impacts
• ABC4 (Salt Lake City): Lake Powell, Mead drop to historic low, signaling major water crisis
• Colorado Newsline: As Colorado River and tributaries shrink, a public power system frays
• The Washington Post: A major Colorado River decision looms. Here’s how it will affect millions.
• Reuters: In US West, drought pits farms against towns, industry in scramble for water
• John Fleck at Inkstain: Blog: A grim Colorado River milestone
• Keep the River Running: News release: New State of the Basin Report  highlights the challenges and the path forward for the Colorado River
• The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California: News release: Metropolitan partners with federal government to help water levels in historic-low Lake Mead