Staff Reports | Community Updates
The Colorado River Indian Tribes is urging the Bureau of Reclamation to postpone issuing a Record of Decision on the Final Environmental Impact Statement for post-2026 operations of Lake Powell and Lake Mead, citing concerns about the review process and tribal consultation.
CRIT is requesting additional time to review the final environmental document and seeking an opportunity to provide input before a final decision is issued, according to a press release.
The Bureau of Reclamation published the final environmental review July 31 and could issue a decision in the near future. CRIT officials said the timeline leaves insufficient time to review the document’s revised analysis, modeling assumptions, appendices and technical materials.
The tribe previously requested a comment period of at least 45 days on the final document and asked that any new alternative be circulated for public review before a final decision is made.
“Any plan for Lake Powell and Lake Mead must respect CRIT’s senior water rights, honor the federal government’s trust obligations, and include true government-to-government consultation with the Tribe,” Rebecca Loudbear, attorney general for the Colorado River Indian Tribes, said.
CRIT holds senior water rights on the lower Colorado River that were recognized by the U.S. Supreme Court in Arizona v. California. Those rights encompass more than 719,248 acre-feet of water in Arizona and California.
The tribe said it appreciates the Bureau of Reclamation’s decision to remove a pro-rata distribution approach from its preferred alternative. CRIT noted that federal officials have stated the preferred alternative would not affect tribal water entitlements and that any water transactions would occur only between willing parties.
However, CRIT continues to oppose the inclusion of pro-rata shortage alternatives in the environmental review. Tribal officials contend those alternatives could not be implemented without voluntary agreements and would conflict with federal law, tribal water rights and federal trust obligations.
CRIT also said the final review does not adequately explain how shortages would be allocated during dead-pool scenarios and lacks clear mechanisms for accounting for and compensating conserved tribal water.
Ms. Loudbear said the tribe remains focused on protecting the Colorado River as both a water source and a resource with cultural, spiritual and ecological significance.
The Bureau of Reclamation’s post-2026 process is intended to establish new operating guidelines for Lake Powell and Lake Mead after current agreements expire in 2026.
