- Reclamation
- Colorado River Basin
- Colorado River Post 2026 Operations
- Colorado River Post 2026 Operations — Alternatives Development
Alternatives Development
The Post-2026 process is a multi-year NEPA process to determine long-term operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead after the expiration of existing operating agreements in 2026. The alternatives development phase of the process began in fall 2023 and will continue through spring 2024. The goal of this phase is to develop a broad range of reasonable alternatives for analysis in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which is expected to be released in December 2024. As part of this effort, Reclamation is collaborating with and providing technical assistance to Basin partners and stakeholders as they develop potential operational strategies.
Central to Reclamation’s technical assistance is the development of a web-based Post-2026 Operations Exploration Web Tool. The tool is a result of decades of collaborative research and development and is designed to enable users with different levels of technical skill to explore, create, and compare potential operating strategies using a common platform to enhance the development of alternatives.
In early 2024, Reclamation received input from Basin partners and stakeholders with proposals and considerations for alternatives. Letters received are included below by date received and submitter.
- March 5, 2024 - Colorado River Upper Division State Representatives of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming
- March 6, 2024 - The Colorado River Basin States Representatives of Arizona, California, and Nevada
- March 6, 2024 - Central Arizona Water Conservation District, Southern Nevada Water Authority, and The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
- March 11, 2024 - Southern Ute Indian Tribe, Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Tonto Apache Tribe, Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe, Pueblo of Zuni Tribe, Yavapai-Apache Nation, Ak Chin Indian Community, Ute Indian Tribe, Jicarilla Apache Nation, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe, Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute, San Carlos Apache Tribe, Chemehuevi Tribe, and White Mountain Apache Tribe
- March 29, 2024 - National Audubon Society, Western Resource Advocates, Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, and Trout Unlimited
- March 29, 2024 - Center for Colorado River Studies, Eric Kuhn, and Utton Center, University of New Mexico School of Law
- April 29, 2024 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Park Service