1、CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress INSIGHTINSIGHTi i Drought Contingency Plans for the Colorado River Basin Charles V. Stern Specialist in Natural Resources Policy Updated March 26, 2019 The Colorado River Basin is a critical source of water and power supplies for seven west
2、ern states and Mexico. The basin is in the midst of a long-term drought. Water levels at the basins two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, could reach critically low levels. Building on prior agreements, recently the basin states and the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) transmitted to
3、 Congress drought contingency plans (DCPs) that aim to decrease the likelihood of major water and power supply disruptions for users. Colorado River Basin in Context The Colorado River Basin (Figure 1) covers approximately 246,000 square miles, 97% of which are in the United States. It includes the
4、Colorado River and its tributaries, which cross the U.S. border into Mexico before discharging into the Gulf of California. Pursuant to federal law, multiple federal facilities (e.g., Hoover Dam) store and convey basin waters and generate hydropower for the southwestern United States. The primary fe
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