Colorado River Compact, 1922

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | November 24th, 1922

Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization

United States Congress | April 16th, 2019

Authorized Drought Contingency Plans (DCPs) for the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basins, which required reduced Lower Basin deliveries beyond previous curtailment plans

Authorized Drought Contingency Plans (DCPs) for the Upper and Lower Colorado River Basins, which required reduced Lower Basin deliveries beyond previous curtailment plans at specified Lake Mead storage levels, committed Reclamation to additional water conservation efforts, and put in place plans to coordinate Upper Basin operations to enhance Lake Powell storage levels and prevent the loss of hydropower generation.

Colorado River flow dwindles as warming-driven loss of reflective snow energizes evaporation

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) | February 20th, 2020

The sensitivity of river discharge to climate-system warming is highly uncertain and governing processes are poorly understood, impeding climate-change adaptation. A prom

The sensitivity of river discharge to climate-system warming is highly uncertain and governing processes are poorly understood, impeding climate-change adaptation. A prominent exemplar is the Colorado River, where meteorological drought and warming have been shrinking a water resource that supports more than US$1 trillion per year of economic activity. Monte-Carlo simulation with a radiation-aware hydrologic model resolves the longstanding, wide disparity in sensitivity estimates and reveals the controlling physical processes. We estimate that annual-mean discharge has been decreasing by 9.3% per °C of warming due to increased evapotranspiration, mainly driven by snow loss and consequent decrease of reflection of solar radiation. Projected precipitation increases likely will not suffice to counter fully the robust, thermodynamically induced drying. Increasing risk of severe water shortages is expected.

Colorado River Insights, 2025: Dancing with Deadpool

Colorado River Research Group | December 3rd, 2025

The Colorado River Research Group (CRRG) was formed in 2014 to bring scientific insights to Colorado River system management, inspired in part by the salient role played

The Colorado River Research Group (CRRG) was formed in 2014 to bring scientific insights to Colorado River system management, inspired in part by the salient role played by the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists in the Murray-Darling Basin—a similar, drought-stricken region in Australia. It was established as an independent, knowledgeable voice insulated from political constraints, sectoral alliances, and other pressures that might impede the full consideration of relevant ideas and viewpoints. Originally, the CRRG was launched with ten members, all academics with long, well-established involvement in Colorado River scholarship. In 2021 the group was expanded to 14 active members, while four original CRRG members transitioned to emeritus status. CRRG members serve as individuals, rather than as representatives of their universities or other organizations. The administrative home of the CRRG is the Getches-Wilkinson Center at the University of Colorado.

Colorado River Shortage FAQs

Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) | August 1st, 2022

Colorado River Storage Project of 1956

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) | April 11th, 1956

Colorado River water supply is predictable on multi-year timescales owing to long-term ocean memory

Nature Portfolio (Springer Nature) | October 9th, 2020

Skillful multi-year climate forecasts provide crucial information for decision-makers and resource managers to mitigate water scarcity, yet such forecasts remain challen

Skillful multi-year climate forecasts provide crucial information for decision-makers and resource managers to mitigate water scarcity, yet such forecasts remain challenging due to unpredictable weather noise and the lack of dynamical model capability. Here we demonstrate that the annual water supply of the Colorado River is predictable up to several years in advance by a drift-free decadal climate prediction system using a fully coupled climate model. Observational analyses and model experiments show that prolonged shortages of water supply in the Colorado River are significantly linked to sea surface temperature precursors including tropical Pacific cooling, North Pacific warming, and southern tropical Atlantic warming. In the Colorado River basin, the water deficits can reduce crop yield and increase wildfire potential. Thus, a multi-year prediction of severe water shortages in the Colorado River basin could be useful as an early indicator of subsequent agricultural loss and wildfire risk.

Comment Letter on the Draft Water Resilience Portfolio for the State of California

Pacific Institute | February 7th, 2020

This comment letter conveys summary comments and suggestions on the draft Water Resilience Portfolio released by California state agencies, drawing on the considerable ex

This comment letter conveys summary comments and suggestions on the draft Water Resilience Portfolio released by California state agencies, drawing on the considerable experience Pacific Institute has around themes of water efficiency, stormwater management, and the Salton Sea. The letter was authored by staff at Pacific Institute and directed to the Governor’s Water Portfolio Program at the California Natural Resources Agency.

Comments on and Protest of Temporary Urgency Change Petition Regarding Delta Water Quality

California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) | February 17th, 2023

Community and Grower Engagement in Multibenefit Land Repurposing

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) | June 10th, 2022