Look West: Public lands and energy news from the Center for Western Priorities
** Feds say Colorado River cuts are enough—for now
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Thursday, October 26, 2023
Horseshoe Bend by MassimoTava, Wikimedia Commons ([link removed])
Federal officials say that a plan by Arizona, California, and Nevada to cut water use should be enough to keep the Colorado River Basin stable for a few years, keeping Lake Powell and Lake Mead from dropping to dangerous levels.
“We have staved off the immediate possibility of the System’s reservoirs from falling to critically low elevations that would threaten water deliveries and power production,” Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said ([link removed]) .
The announcement removes the immediate threat of the federal government imposing cuts on states. In May, the three lower basin states committed to cutting water use by 14 percent, or about three million acre-feet over three years. The Bureau of Reclamation says above-average snowpack in the Rocky Mountains and a wet year have reduced the risk of a crash in water levels through 2026, when the current plan for the river expires.
Now attention turns to the long-term plan for the river, which is due to start in 2027 ([link removed]) . The agency is planning to release a draft environmental review of those options by the end of 2024.
“We’re already seeing the success of our work on the voluntary conservation measures,” Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton told the Los Angeles Times (http://“We’re already seeing the success of our work on the voluntary conservation measures,” Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said. “It’s helping to stabilize the system for now, but also allows for a path to talk about sustainability for the future.”) . “It’s helping to stabilize the system for now, but also allows for a path to talk about sustainability for the future.”
How we made the Conservation Toolbox
In the latest episode of CWP's podcast, The Landscape ([link removed]) , Kate and Aaron are joined by three other members of the CWP team to go inside the creation of our Conservation Toolbox ([link removed]) —a directory of the major land protection tools available to help preserve federal public lands. CWP’s Director of Campaigns and Special Projects, Lauren Bogard, Policy and Design Associate, Lilly Bock-Brownstein, and Outreach and Campaigns Associate, Sterling Homard, talk about the process of putting the report together and how they hope it will be used for conservation, recreation, and more.
** Quick hits
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Western leaders look to state trust lands for affordable housing
Stateline ([link removed])
Saving what's left of Wyoming's sagebrush steppe is complicated
WyoFile ([link removed])
Fish & Wildlife Service backs off a push to guarantee water for Kansas birds, despite holding senior water rights
KCUR ([link removed])
Sen. Cortez Masto proposes conservation compromise on Air Force expansion in Mojave Desert
Nevada Independent ([link removed])
Indigenous fire stewards are key to building fire-resilient landscapes
High Country News ([link removed])
Opinion: Grand Junction mayor calls for protecting Dolores River Canyon Country as a national monument
Denver Post ([link removed])
New House Speaker Mike Johnson denies climate science, champions oil and gas
New York Times ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])
The New Mexico adventures of Marty the Moose, who just doesn't want to head north
KRQE ([link removed])
** Quote of the day
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” The Dolores River Canyon Country also holds a remarkable historical legacy. The remnants of mining operations are present throughout the region, serving as a tangible reminder of the intrepid individuals who once toiled in these rugged landscapes and whose descendants live here today. This history is an essential part of our story and our country’s security, and it deserves recognition and preservation for future generations to explore and understand.”
—Grand Junction Mayor Anna Stout, Denver Post ([link removed])
** Picture This
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@usfws ([link removed])
Beetlejuice, beetlejuice….🤫🤐
American burying beetles use their bodily secretions to preserve dead animal corpses that they’ve buried underground. Once they've put the animal to rest, the female lays her eggs on the body. The beetle couple later feeds it to their babies.
Gross? You bet! They’re creepy, crawly, and oh so important to the natural world. check out the link in our story to learn how we’re working with partners to protect this magnificent creature.
Photo courtesy of Scott Comings, The Nature Conservancy
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