In a significant move to address the ongoing water crisis in Western states, the Biden administration has taken action to conserve vital water supplies. The Department of the Interior (DOI) released a draft supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) on Wednesday, which outlines two potential options for water conservation. The proposed action aims to substantially restrict water supplies in the coming years to protect the Colorado River System and two key dams that have been affected by falling water levels.

The White House National Climate Advisor, Ali Zaidi, stated that these actions by the administration are meant to bolster water resilience in the Basin States. He emphasized that the investments made through President Biden's Investing in America agenda will help build a more sustainable and equitable future for communities across the West. Camille Calimlim Touton, Commissioner of the DOI Bureau of Reclamation, added that the advancement of this proposal protects the Colorado River Basin's reservoirs in the near term while long-term, sustainable plans are developed to combat climate-driven challenges.

The draft SEIS rescinds two previous potential plans for Colorado River conservation that were issued in April and replaces them with the proposed action derived from an agreement reached in May by the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada. This agreement ensures the conservation of at least 3 million acre-feet (978 billion gallons) of Colorado River water supplies by 2027, with half of that amount conserved by 2025. The DOI stated that the conserved water will be funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, a Democratic climate and tax legislation signed by President Biden, with voluntary reductions by the Lower Basin states making up the remaining portion.

Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau acknowledged the leadership and unity of purpose demonstrated by the Basin states in achieving substantial water conservation over the past year. He also praised the historic funding from President Biden's Investing in America agenda, which has helped prevent the reservoirs from reaching critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production.

While the Upper Basin states mainly rely on smaller rivers branching off the Colorado River, the Lower Basin states receive water from Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The federally-managed Glen Canyon Dam in Arizona and Hoover Dam in Nevada control water flows from these reservoirs to the Lower Basin states. However, due to decades of drought, both Lake Powell and Lake Mead have experienced significant drops in water levels, nearing so-called dead pool levels. These low levels pose a threat to water supplies and hydropower-generated electricity for millions of Americans.

In a positive development, federal officials announced on Wednesday that conditions on the Colorado River have improved to the extent that the voluntary reduction plan proposed by California, Arizona, and Nevada will help maintain stability in the river basin for the next few years. Deputy Secretary Tommy Beaudreau stated that the risk of reaching critically low water elevations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead has substantially decreased. This news marks a significant change from the dire predictions made in 2022 when drastic cuts were deemed necessary to avoid a crisis in the river.

The voluntary plan proposed by the three states in May aims to conserve an additional 3 million acre-feet of water through the end of 2026 in exchange for $1.2 billion in federal funding. Although the regulatory process is yet to be completed, the announcement from the DOI indicates that the federal government is likely to accept this plan. JB Hamby, chairman of the Colorado River Board of California, expressed his optimism about the collaborative approach taken by the states, which led to this victory. He highlighted the role of federal funding and improved water supplies in changing the trajectory of negotiations.

California will be responsible for more than half of the total cuts, which can be achieved through water efficiency measures and temporary idling of certain crops. Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, noted that Arizona's conservation efforts alone have been substantial, with the state on track to use about one-third less water than its allocation this year. With the immediate water crisis averted, the states can now focus on developing a new long-term agreement for sharing the river's water beyond 2026.

Not everyone shares the same level of optimism about the plan. Kyle Roerink from the Great Basin Water Network expressed concerns that the latest proposal fails to address the long-term challenges facing the system. He emphasized that the challenges are not yet over and called for continued attention to the future of the Colorado River.

Overall, the actions taken by the Biden administration and the collaborative efforts of the Western states have provided a temporary reprieve from the water crisis. However, the need for long-term solutions and sustained conservation efforts remains crucial to ensure the resilience of the Colorado River System and the communities that rely on it.