A California water district that manages the largest share of Colorado River flows in the nation finalized a multiyear conservation agreement with the Biden administration, ensuring more than 228 billion gallons of water will remain in Lake Mead through 2026.
The deal approved by the Imperial Irrigation District on Monday night followed the release earlier in the day of an environmental review by the Bureau of Reclamation, declaring that reducing runoff from agriculture in the region would have “no significant” environmental impacts, even as it causes temporary deceases in the nearby Salton Sea.
“IID’s efforts provide an example for other states and regions to follow as we plan for a drier future in the Colorado River basin,” said Colorado River Commissioner for California J.B. Hamby, who also serves as IID’s vice chair. “IID has cleared enormous hurdles to make this deal happen — there is no excuse for inaction anywhere along the river.”
The agreement is part of emergency planning efforts Reclamation began in mid-2022, as persistent drought in the Colorado River Basin dropped water levels in lakes Mead and Powell to historic lows, and threatened the operation of hydropower facilities at each respective dams.
