Why Colorado River negotiations stalled, and how they could resume with the possibility of agreement

The current Colorado River negotiations process includes all five of the most common sources of conflict in any process seeking compromise.

By: Karen Schlatter, Colorado State University and Sharon B. Megdal, University of Arizona, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: March 20, 2026

Words: 1,211

Last Updated: 19 hours, 18 minutes ago

By Karen Schlatter, Colorado State University and Sharon B. Megdal, University of Arizona

The seven U.S. states that make up the Colorado River basin are struggling to agree on how best to manage the river’s water as its supply dwindles due to climate change and a period of prolonged drought. Their negotiations, which are not open to the public, missed a Feb. 14, 2026, deadline the federal government had established, after which federal …

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