Wednesday January 21, 2026
Santa Barbara News-Press —
The federal agency overseeing the water supply for tens of millions of people in California and other parts of the West has published a list of options for how it might manage the drought-stricken Colorado River in the future.
The five proposals range from taking “no action” to a scenario that might result in water cuts to the lower basin states of California, Nevada and Arizona. One alternative developed in partnership with conservation groups would incentivize states and water users to proactively conserve the river.