Colorado River talks press forward as reservoir levels show uneven strain

By Navajo Times

PAGE – Water levels across the Colorado River system remain low, but the pressure is not evenly shared, according to figures presented Jan. 27, 2026, to Arizona lawmakers as negotiations continue over how the river will be managed after current rules expire at the end of the year.

As of Jan. 11, the total system stood at 38% full, or about 21.98 million acre feet. Lake Powell was at 27%. Lake Mead stood at 33%. Several reservoirs in the Upper Basin, including Flaming Gorge and Blue Mesa, held significantly higher levels.

Those numbers framed a presentation Tuesday by the Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke before the Arizona House Natural Resources, Energy and Water Committee. He told lawmakers the state remains in a federally declared shortage while negotiations with other basin states remain unresolved.

“We’re in a shortage condition in which Arizona is currently taking a 512,000-acre-foot reduction,” Buschatzke said.

To read the full article, please see the Feb. 5, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.

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