Colorado River Crisis Deepens: Hobbs, Newsom, and Lombardo Demand Upper Basin Share the Burden After Deadline Miss

As the federal deadline for a consensus agreement on post-2026 Colorado River management passed for the second time without resolution, Governors Katie Hobbs of Arizona, Joe Lombardo of Nevada, and Gavin Newsom of California issued a joint statement emphasizing the urgent need for shared responsibility among all seven basin states. The statement underscores the river’s critical role in supporting communities, economies, and Tribal Nations in the Lower Basin states, which account for approximately 75 percent of the basin’s population, employment, and agricultural crop sales.

The federal deadline for a consensus agreement on managing the Colorado River after 2026 is passing for a second time without resolution,” the governors stated. “The stakes couldn’t be higher for our Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Approximately 75% of the population, employment, and agricultural crop sales of the Colorado River Basin are in our states. This also includes 25 of the 30 sovereign Tribal Nations that live within the Basin.

The Colorado River is essential to our communities and economies, and our states have conserved large volumes of water in recent years to stabilize the basin’s water supplies for years to come. To secure a seven-state agreement for post-2026 management of the river, Arizona has offered to reduce its Colorado River allocation by 27%, California by 10%, and Nevada by nearly 17%. Our stance remains firm and fair: all seven basin states must share in the responsibility of conservation. Our shared success hinges on compromise, and we have offered significant flexibility, allowing states without robust conservation programs time to gradually develop these programs in ways that work in each state.

Our future management of the Colorado River must be built on a foundation of shared contribution and innovation, with all Colorado River water users stretching to conserve water. Our commitment to a collaborative outcome is unwavering, and we will continue to pursue a negotiated resolution while protecting our water users.

This latest development follows the missed November 11, 2025, deadline, where negotiations among the seven Western states—divided into the Upper Basin (Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico) and Lower Basin (Arizona, California, Nevada)—failed to produce a basic plan for future operations, risking federal intervention. Key disputes at that time included water cut distributions, reservoir operations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, and the integration of 29 Tribal Nations holding about 20 percent of the river’s flow. Arizona’s Governor Hobbs had criticized Upper Basin states for delays, while California’s representatives called for compromise amid ongoing drought and overallocation strains on the system, which supports roughly 40 million people and vast agricultural lands.

The Colorado River has faced mounting crises in recent years, with water levels dropping to historic lows due to hotter temperatures, reduced snowmelt, and heavy urban and agricultural demands. Previous efforts to address the issue include a 2023 agreement between California, Nevada, and Arizona with the federal government under the Biden-Harris administration, which committed to a 13 percent reduction in usage—totaling 3 million acre-feet over three years—to preserve water stocks and maintain electricity generation at key dams like Hoover and Glen Canyon. That deal, involving states, water districts, Tribes, and farmers, saw the federal government reimburse most of the lost water at a cost of about $1.2 billion, highlighting the ongoing federal role in mitigating the river’s decline.

Even earlier, in 2021, the three Lower Basin states voluntarily agreed to reduce usage to avert drastic federal cuts and ensure continued electricity production. These steps reflect a pattern of Lower Basin leadership in conservation, as emphasized in the latest statement, where the governors reiterated their “unwavering” commitment to collaboration despite the Upper Basin’s reluctance to mandate equivalent reductions.

For California, which relies on the Colorado River for about 25 percent of Southern California’s water supply, the impasse poses significant risks to agriculture, urban centers, and economic stability. With agriculture consuming over half of the river’s water, any imposed federal cuts could exacerbate existing challenges, including potential restrictions on usage and impacts on crops like avocados in regions dependent on imported water. Experts warn that without a seven-state deal, litigation and less flexible federal mandates could loom, further straining the system.

As negotiations continue, the governors’ call for “shared contribution and innovation” signals a push for equitable burden-sharing. The California Globe will monitor developments in this ongoing, critical water saga.