Last month, Colorado Governor Jared Polis has increased funding for water development projects to meet our growing water demands. But the state’s water plans are creating problems with the Southwest, where Colorado River reservoirs are at record-low levels due to the hotter climate.
Governor Jared Polis
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming are facing increasing pressure from Arizona, Nevada, and California to use less water. The Federal authorities warn electricity for millions of people could be at risk if water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which both are about 33% full, will drop even lower. Water officials from surrounding states want to have their next round of negotiations over how states deal with the diminishing water supply. Interestingly, the 1922 Colorado River Compact allows the upper states to use more water in future years.
Colorado has awarded more than $500 million in grants and loans for 323 projects to meet the state’s water plan through 2050. Gov. Polis recently approved $20 million more to the Colorado Water Conservation Board to go toward increased water storage capacity and supply.
Polis also signed another bill to spend $1.2 million more in construction funds for the implementation of the overall $20 billion water plan, which was launched in 2015 to ensure enough water for a productive economy, while preserving healthy rivers through efficient water use and carefully designed water projects. Colorado water users are reliant on what comes down the river from snowpack. The lower water levels in Lake Mead have led to 25% less electricity production this year. If water levels keep falling in Lake Powell, the Western Area Power Administration will have to buy electricity from other sources at a greater cost to sustain 5.8 million customers across 15 states, including Colorado.
Some environment groups oppose new water supply development in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah. But other environmental advocates support Colorado’s efforts to increase supplies within compact limits.