The statement is a clear indication of what the agency-imposed plan for the river stalemate will be as the prior 2007 plan under the 1922 Colorado River Compact expires this year. Interior’s Bureau of Reclamation says it will cut the allocation of river water to the lower basin states by 20% while leaving the upper basin states essentially unaffected. The first objective: “Update and expand management guidelines for Colorado River reservoirs, particularly for the coordinated operation of Lake Powell and Lake Mead.” According to DOI, “Between 2020 and 2024, the average consumptive use in the Colorado River Basin was 13.1 million acre-feet. That means that California (1850) and Nevada (1864) get first rights to Colorado River water.