"This framework provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions while preserving the opportunity for the Basin States to continue working toward durable, consensus-based solutions.” The Colorado River is governed by complex, long-standing agreements, federal laws and court decisions collectively called the “Law of the River.” In 2024, states in the upper basin collectively used around 4.4 million acre-feet, while lower basin states used around 6 million, according to Reclamation data. In May, Lower Colorado River water leaders pitched a plan to use 3.2 million acre-feet less Colorado River water in 2027 and 2028 to “stabilize the system in the face of deteriorating hydrology,” according to a copy sent to Reclamation leaders. Meanwhile, JB Hamby, California’s Colorado River negotiator, called the final EIS “an important milestone,” but said “it is not the finish line.”