The seven basin states that share the Colorado River failed to reach a novel water‑sharing agreement by the Trump administration’s deadline on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2026, leaving the Southwest with no clear path forward as reservoir levels continue to tumble [yahoo.com](https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/colorado-river-deadline-passes-reservoirs-000258947.html).
Former U.S. Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, speaking to the Los Angeles Times, described the stalemate as “so intractable” that federal officials should step back, scrap the current process and start anew. “We need a fresh start,” he said. “I believe that in the absence of a unanimous agreement, the Interior Department should renew the existing agreements for five years and then we should start all over. We should scrap the entire process and invent a new one.” [latimes.com](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-02-13/states-miss-colorado-river-deadline).
Babbitt warned that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s proposed long‑term solution—ordering major water cuts across the Southwest—could trigger a protracted court battle. He argued the administration’s four options for imposing cutbacks next year, which too include doing nothing, would unfairly burden Arizona, California and Nevada while leaving Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico untouched.
Why the deadline mattered
The existing Colorado River Interim Guidelines, which govern allocations among the seven states, are set to expire at the complete of 2026. Without a renewed framework, the Interior Department could invoke emergency cutbacks that would drastically reduce deliveries to the three Lower Basin states that rely on the river for municipal, agricultural and power generation needs.
Earlier this year, the states also missed a federal deadline in November 2025, further eroding confidence in a negotiated settlement [latimes.com](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-01-09/trump-administration-colorado-river-report).
Current conditions on the river
The Colorado River now supplies water to roughly 35 million people and irrigates about 5 million acres of farmland [latimes.com](https://www.pacinst.org/managing-the-unmeasured-colorado-river/). Climate‑driven drought and record‑warm winters have left the Rockies with scant snowpack, driving Lake Mead down to 34 % of capacity and Lake Powell to just 26 % [latimes.com](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-01-24/western-snowpack-warmth).
State leaders point to voluntary water‑cutbacks and federal payments to farmers who leave fields fallow as steps taken to shore up the system, but those measures have not closed the gap. “Our states have conserved large volumes of water in recent years,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a joint statement with Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo. “Our stance remains firm and fair: all seven basin states must share in the responsibility of conservation.” [latimes.com](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/13/governor-gavin-newsom-governor-katie-hobbs-and-governor-joe-lombardo-release-joint-statement-on-colorado-river-deadline/).
California’s lead negotiator, JB Hamby, said the states’ positions have changed little over the past two years and that any breakthrough will require firm, measurable cuts from all parties.
Upper Basin perspective
Representatives of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico issued a written statement asserting that they are already implementing substantial water‑conservation measures, and that downstream states are “trying to secure water that simply does not exist.” [latimes.com](https://www.ucrcommission.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/UCRC_UDSStatement_13Feb2026_FINAL_c.pdf).
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s latest forecast warns that runoff into Lake Powell will drop dramatically this year, threatening the ability of Glen Canyon Dam to generate electricity if levels fall below critical thresholds.
Federal next steps
In a written release, the Interior Department said it will finalize new operational rules by Oct. 1, 2026, and that “it cannot delay action.” The agency is accepting public comments on its draft environmental impact statement through March 2 [latimes.com](https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/5283).
Secretary Burgum told reporters that “negotiation efforts have been productive” and expressed confidence that a “fair compromise with shared responsibility remains within reach.” [latimes.com](https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2026-02-05/colorado-river-negotiations-failing).
What’s next?
The next formal milestone will be the Interior Department’s October 1 rule‑making deadline, after which the agency will issue binding water‑allocation orders for the 2027 water year. Stakeholders and the public can continue to submit comments until the March 2 cut‑off, and the Bureau of Reclamation will release its 2027 operating plan in early 2027.
Readers are invited to share their thoughts and follow updates as the Southwest navigates this critical juncture.
