Governor Gavin Newsom, Governor Katie Hobbs, and Governor Joe Lombardo release joint statement on Colorado River deadline

The federal deadline for a consensus agreement on managing the Colorado River after 2026 is passing for a second time without resolution. The stakes couldn’t be higher for our Lower Basin states of Arizona, California, and Nevada. Approximately 75% of the population, employment, and agricultural crop sales of the Colorado River Basin are in our states. This also includes 25 of the 30 sovereign Tribal Nations that live within the Basin.

The Colorado River is essential to our communities and economies, and our states have conserved large volumes of water in recent years to stabilize the basin’s water supplies for years to come. To secure a seven-state agreement for post-2026 management of the river, Arizona has offered to reduce its Colorado River allocation by 27%, California by 10%, and Nevada by nearly 17%. Our stance remains firm and fair: all seven basin states must share in the responsibility of conservation. Our shared success hinges on compromise, and we have offered significant flexibility, allowing states without robust conservation programs time to gradually develop these programs in ways that work in each state.

Our future management of the Colorado River must be built on a foundation of shared contribution and innovation, with all Colorado River water users stretching to conserve water. Our commitment to a collaborative outcome is unwavering, and we will continue to pursue a negotiated resolution while protecting our water users.

Governor Gavin Newsom, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs Nevada, Governor Joe Lombardo