this used to be a reservoir. it’s hard to fathom how much mud and sediment is upstream of a diminished lake powell right now.

if i had to choose one word to encapsulate how arizona is thinking about the coming first-ever colorado river shortage, it is:

pain

i've heard it uttered at least four times during today's webinar. i asked central arizona project general manager ted cooke about the use of the word, and i think his answer puts the technical into human terms:

"The reason that we use that word, pain, is because this is a reality. This is not a pleasant thing."

Colorado River thinkers take the stage at Bally’s in Las Vegas to dream up the next set of guidelines for its management. #crwua19 Terry Fulp of @usbr says DCP is not a long term solution. It simply “reduced the risk of a catastrophe,” on the Colorado River.

The Colorado River Brain Trust (trademark @jfleck) is gathering in Boulder today and tomorrow to breathe a small sigh of relief about recently signed drought plans and this wet winter, and to brace for the white knuckle ride of a whole new set of wide ranging negotiations. Terry Fulp, Lower Basin director for @usbr, says he doesn’t know when negotiations of new management guidelines will start — sometime “before December 31, 2020” — but says he favors an incremental approach. Something that let’s all stakeholders have “a win.”