With rising tensions over a dwindling supply of water from the Colorado River, Wyoming and six other states have until Nov. 11 to hammer out a deal for water allocation or the federal government will step in and settle it for them.

The main point of conflict is between the river’s Upper Basin states, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico – and the Lower Basin states; Arizona, Nevada and California.

In a nutshell, the Upper Basin states claim that the Lower Basin states are hogging water, leaving them with too little for their own pressing needs.

Water rights for the states, Native American tribes, Mexico and other entities along the river were allocated under the 1922 Colorado River Compact, which remains in effect.

If the Upper Basin and Lower Basin can’t settle their differences by

See Full Page