The Colorado River

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing highlighting strategies for improving the resilience and restoring the health of the Colorado River and its tributaries. The Colorado River basin serves as an essential source of agricultural, residential, and commercial water for communities and tribes in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and California as well as our neighbors across the border in Mexico. However, the river faces severe water stress, resulting in dwindling reservoirs. This water stress, exacerbated by climate change, threatens to degrade the river and jeopardize the ecosystems dependent on it. This briefing focused on the role of federal policy in supporting stakeholders across the West as they addressed the impacts of drought and water stress through effective water conservation, measurement, and allocation. Panelists discussed the importance of collaboration between tribes, industry, communities, and local and federal government to restore river vitality and ensure equitable water availability for generations to come.