WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper released the following statement on negotiations for future Colorado River operations.
“This winter’s alarmingly low snowpack across Colorado adds an exclamation point to the already dire drought in the Basin. If we don’t address this problem together – head-on and fast – our communities, farms, and economies will suffer.
“The best path forward is the one we take together. Litigation won’t solve the problem of this long-term aridification. No one knows for sure how the courts could decide and the math will only get worse.
“We need to avoid wasting time – and water – and come together to chart a path to a more sustainable future.”
Hickenlooper has consistently advocated for a seven-state agreement for the post-2026 negotiations. In the Senate, Hickenlooper convened the bipartisan Colorado River Caucus to help address the Colorado River crisis. He has also introduced legislation to improve ways that we measure snowmelt, support water conservation projects, and hire more water project navigators to help states, Tribes, and rural communities secure resources for projects that improve water efficiency. Hickenlooper also helped secure millions in funding for water conservation projects in the West from both the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
As governor, Hickenlooper helped negotiate the 2019 Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plan, which helped protect critical levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead and ensured continued compliance with the 1922 Colorado River Compact.
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