A plan for thirsty times

Colorado River water has always been recognized as the lifeblood of the Southwest. Now, it has its own blood bank.

After years of study and discussion, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation this week announced a proposal for managing the river and its two largest reservoirs - Lake Powell and Lake Mead - during droughts.

The plan, which still faces several months of final review, is extraordinary for several reasons.

Not only is it unusual that the agency is approaching management of Colorado River water based on the notion that there might be less water to divide, but also because environmental groups - as opposed to just water district officials - played a significant role in shaping the proposal from the start.

"The drought has caused everyone to stretch and do some things that were not heretofore possible," said Don Ostler, the Salt Lake City-based director of the Upper Colorado Commission, which represents Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico in river management issues.

He pointed out that the idea for a drought-oriented focus on the Colorado began in 2000, when water shortages were severe. Although there is growing agreement that the Colorado River experiences longer and more severe droughts than previously thought, earlier management plans emphasized mainly the availability of water.
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