Colorado River negotiators face major deadline while snowpack levels reach critical low

Negotiators from the seven Colorado River Basin states will likely miss a crucial deadline this weekend to submit a new plan for how to divide the dwindling water source. Without an agreement, the federal government retains the right to impose a contract on the states. The Feb. 14 deadline comes as the region faces record-low snowpack coupled with unusually warm temperatures this winter. - Show Notes - • USDA Snow Water Equivalent Map https://nwcc-apps.sc.egov.usda.gov/imap/#version=2&elements=&networks=!&states=!&counties=!&hucs=&minElevation=&maxElevation=&elementSelectType=any&activeOnly=true&activeForecastPointsOnly=true&hucLabels=false&hucIdLabels=false&hucParameterLabels=true&stationLabels=&overlays=&hucOverlays=&basinOpacity=75&basinNoDataOpacity=25&basemapOpacity=100&maskOpacity=0&mode=data&openSections=dataElement,parameter,date,basin,options,elements,location,networks&controlsOpen=true&popup=&popupMulti=&popupBasin=&base=esriNgwm&displayType=station&basinType=6&dataElement=WTEQ&depth=-8&parameter=PCTMED&frequency=DAILY&duration=I&customDuration=&dayPart=E&monthPart=E&forecastPubDay=1&forecastExceedance=50&useMixedPast=true&seqColor=1&divColor=7&scaleType=D&scaleMin=&scaleMax=&referencePeriodType=POR&referenceBegin=1991&referenceEnd=2020&minimumYears=20&hucAssociations=true&relativeDate=-1&lat=42.300&lon=-114.300&zoom=4.5