Save Lake Mead from ‘human intransigence’ in 9 steps, coalition says
Summary
A coalition of nongovernmental organisations released a report called “There’s No Water Available” that outlines nine practical recommendations to avert collapse of the Colorado River system and protect Lake Mead. The report criticises Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming) for planning projects that would take more water and for not committing to curtailment, while Lower Basin states (Nevada, California and Arizona) are pushing for immediate reductions. The NGOs call for public-facing plans, better data, protection of tribal water rights and infrastructure fixes such as changes at Glen Canyon Dam.
The report comes amid stalled interstate negotiations, a possible federal intervention if states fail to agree, and warnings from river scientists that another weak snowpack season would worsen the crisis.
Key Points
- The coalition’s report lists nine recommendations to stabilise the river and protect Lake Mead.
- Upper Basin plans for new reservoirs and diversions could consume more than 1 million acre-feet of water; the report urges forgoing new dams.
- All states should produce transparent curtailment plans to show how cuts would be implemented.
- The proposed “natural flow” release approach needs better standardised data on evaporation and losses before it can be trusted.
- The report calls for physical and operational changes at Glen Canyon Dam to protect deliveries to the Lower Basin.
- Authors recommend prioritising tribal senior water rights and curtailing junior users when necessary.
- Municipal conservation and investment in wastewater reuse (highlighting Southern Nevada’s measures) are urged to reduce urban demand.
- Agricultural resilience — including dry-farming techniques and other innovations — is needed to slash the large irrigation footprint, especially in regions like the Imperial Irrigation District.
- Stabilising groundwater and protecting endangered species are listed as essential complementary actions.
Context and Relevance
This issue matters because the Colorado River supplies water for roughly 25 million people, major cities such as Las Vegas and vast agricultural areas that provide winter vegetables for the nation. The report arrives as state negotiators stall and federal officials signal they may act if no consensus emerges. The recommendations are practical and, according to the authors, achievable without sweeping legal changes — but they require political will and interstate cooperation amid competing development and water-rights claims.
The story ties into larger trends: prolonged drought, lower snowpacks, climate-driven hydrological shifts and increasing scrutiny of traditional water-allocation rules that date to 1922. Implementation (or failure to implement) these measures will affect consumers, farmers, tribal nations and regional economies.
Why should I read this?
Short version: if you care about whether your tap keeps running, whether farms survive, or which politicians end up in the dock for a policy mess, this spells out the sensible steps and who’s blocking them. It’s a neat, no‑nonsense list of what can be done now — and what might happen if we carry on pretending there’s more water than there is.
