Lake Powell

The Lower Basin states of California, Arizona and Nevada are asking for a fresh look at proposals for sharing the shrinking water supply and changes to Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dam.

The river outlet pipes inside Glen Canyon Dam are getting a $9 million repair job, but conservation groups want to see more permanent changes at Lake Powell.

Colorado's Rocky Mountains have reached peak snowpack, but climate change is changing the way snow turns to water. States around the region are debating new rules for the river that center around new water deficits.

Damage inside Glen Canyon Dam could mean problems with the "river outlet works," a set of small tubes near the bottom of the dam that were originally intended to release excess water when the reservoir is nearing full capacity. The dam allows water to pass through to the Colorado River and Grand Canyon.

A coalition of environmental groups has proposed a set of new rules for managing the Colorado River amid heated negotiations about how to share the water supply, which is shrinking due to climate changed.

The seven states that use water from the Colorado River have proposed competing plans for how it should be managed after 2026. Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming have one plan in mind. California, Arizona and Nevada have a different idea. The states primarily disagree about the how to account for climate change and how to release water from Lake Powell.

Water negotiators from states around the Southwest said they are planning to submit separate proposals to the Bureau of Reclamation about managing the Colorado River after 2026.

The Bureau of Reclamation released a draft plan for releases from Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back Lake Powell. It's an effort to protect native humpback chub from smallmouth bass.

Washington County, Utah — home to the city of St. George — has recently been one of the fastest growing areas in the nation. Local leaders hope a new plan will stretch the county’s water supplies enough to make it through the next two decades.

Winter snow in the Rockies provides the majority of the Colorado River's water supply. As negotiators work on long-term rules for sharing the river, a dry winter could add some urgency.