Colorado River Users Arrive at Agreement

Colorado River Boulder City Nevada

This week, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and Nevada Governor Gavin Newsom announced that the Lower Colorado River Basin States reached an agreement to conserve 3 million acre-feet of water over the next three years.

“Nevada has long been a leader in regional water conservation efforts, and we’re pleased to continue leading through this agreement with other Lower Basin States,” said Governor Joe Lombardo. “Through this partnership, we look forward to equitably advancing our mutual goal of conserving our shared water resources. It’s never been more important to protect the Colorado River System, and this partnership is a critical next step in our efforts to sustain this essential water supply.”
The Interior Department had previously requested reductions of 2 million acre-feet per year, but the negotiations, which at time were contentious, were unable to achieve this goal. However, the cutbacks represent about 326 billon gallons of water per year that would not be used. This stopgap measure doesn’t solve the long term crisis facing the region, but it will help in the short term.
The agreement calls for the federal government to pay approximately $1.2 billion in payouts to farmers and others who agree to relinquish some of their water supply over the next three years. Many consider this a band-aid and not a viable long term solution for the Colorado River users. Some critics have argued that the money would be better spent towards developing permanent measures to reduce use, particularly among agricultural users.
“Paying farmers to conserve water might make sense politically, but the $1.2 billion would be better spent on water projects to help the states become less reliant on the Colorado River permanently”, said David Zilberman, a professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Berkeley.
Additional reporting regarding the agreement and its details can be found via the Los Angeles Times HERE (there may be a paywall).
The plan, which has been submitted to the Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation also has the support of all Seven Colorado River Basin States. It is still subject to federal review and approval.

The Current Week’s Happenings

ChevronTanksFanPhoto Boulder City Nevada

Fan Photo: What’s Going on Under There by Andrew Cattoir

It’s not often that we get...[Read more...]

BeerfestCover Boulder City Nevada

Beerfest is Coming to Town on Saturday!

The tenth Beerfest, hosted by...[Read more...]

EasterServices Boulder City Nevada

Local Churches Holy Week Service Schedule

The local churches of Boulder...[Read more...]

Candidate Questions Boulder City, Nevada

Submit Your Questions to the Boulder City Candidates 2024

We’re excited to share that...[Read more...]

AIACover Boulder City Nevada

Boulder City Art Guild Presents Artists In Action

The Boulder City Art Guild is...[Read more...]

Coffee Boulder City Nevada

How Money Works This Saturday

Coffee and Calculations, in...[Read more...]

IPOF Boulder City Nevada

Injured Police Officers Fund to Host Emergency Vehicle Show

The Injured Police Officers Fund...[Read more...]

StrategicPlan Boulder City Nevada

Make Your Voice Heard at Strategic Plan Meetings

The City of Boulder City is in...[Read more...]

Fan Photo by Brok Armantrout in Boulder City, NV

Help Needed to Restore the “BC”

Like most small towns, Boulder...[Read more...]

FlowFest Boulder City Nevada

Flow Fest This Weekend

Boulder City’s own Flow...[Read more...]

CityCouncilCandidates2024 Boulder City Nevada

2024 City Council Candidates Announced

The City of Boulder City...[Read more...]

EasterEggHunt Boulder City Nevada

Easter Egg Hunt on March 23

The Boulder City Parks and...[Read more...]

Mahoney3 Boulder City Nevada

Patrick Mahoney Brings Music and People Together

Patrick Mahoney has become...[Read more...]

Beerfest Giveaway 2023 Boulder City, Nevada

Win 2 VIP Access Tickets to the Boulder City Beerfest 2024

The 10th Boulder City Beerfest ...[Read more...]

LendAHandCover Boulder City Nevada

Lend A Hand Seeks New Logo

The great folks over at Lend A...[Read more...]

View Past Town Happenings