Las Vegas — Following the long-awaited release of the Final EIS that now includes a preferred alternative from the federal government, Great Basin Water Network Senior Advisor, Kyle Roerink, released the following statement on the impacts and considerations of the document.
“This isn’t the beginning of the end. It is the end of the beginning. The document takes us a few steps away from failed 20th Century management regimes, but we are far from the ribbons at the end of what is inevitably going to be a marathon. This preferred alternative offers some shorter-term stability as we navigate the threats of minimum power pool, dead pool and infrastructure failures at reservoirs like Powell and Mead. But we have a lot of work to do to better prepare for deep uncertainty. While water users in three Lower Basin states and Mexico endure cuts, Upper Basin interests will not reduce use. In fact, they will likely increase use because the proposal does not limit new permits for groundwater or surface water development in the Upper Basin. If this document does anything, it will keep negotiators at the proverbial table, provide new reservoir management opportunities, and instill a sense of urgency in Congress. We need to appropriate more funds to help all states invest in water recycling, water measurement, and community durability that depends less on ground-and-surface-water augmentation and more on conservation. Expensive importation projects like Cadiz or new reservoirs in the headwaters will not solve this crisis. Conservation is the only way we get out of this. Some states are already doing that better than others. All states need assistance to do more.”
Please see our report on the commonsense recommendations to transform the management of the Colorado River System.
Contact Kyle Roerink, 702-324-9662 and kyleroerink@greatbasinwater.org
