Western States Race to Strike Deal on Shrinking Colorado River Before Biden Steps In
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Western states are negotiating how to cut water use from the Colorado River as it faces declining flows, pitting upper basin states against lower basin states.
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If no agreement is reached, the issue could land in Biden's lap in 2024, complicating politics in swing states like Arizona and Nevada.
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The 7 states are trying to avoid federal intervention from Biden, Congress, or the Supreme Court if talks fail.
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Climate change has shrunk the Colorado's flows by 20% in 20 years, exacerbating tensions over the 1922 compact allocating water.
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The states face a deadline from the Biden administration in March to submit water use cut proposals before the government potentially steps in.