Colorado River States Scramble to Manage Dwindling Water Supply Before Deadline

As of October 31, 2025, the seven U.S. states that depend on the Colorado River are in the final stretch of negotiations to determine how to manage the river and its reservoirs. The existing agreement is set to expire at the end of 2026, and if the states cannot reach a new deal by November 11, 2025, the federal government will intervene and create its own plan.

The Upper Basin states of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, along with the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona, and California, have been working to find a compromise. Last year, the states submitted competing plans to the federal government, and now they are working through issues like which reservoirs will be managed under the new agreement and whether there will be mandatory water use cuts during dry years.

Utah, which gets 27% of its water supply from the Colorado River, is not waiting to prepare for potential changes. Since 2023, the state has been investing $1 million in a Colorado River measurement infrastructure project and approving $650,000 in annual funding to monitor water use. Officials say this will allow Utah to better manage its water resources, whether it faces cuts or new targets under the forthcoming agreement.

The prospect of mandatory water use reductions is troubling for many of the state's farmers, who may be asked to leave water in streams instead of diverting it for irrigation. As one farmer put it, "If something happens with this new treaty and they drop it 10, 15, 20%, most of the years we're going to be hurting."