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As Colorado River shrinks, western states fail to agree on cutbacks

The Colorado River in the upper River Basin is seen, May 29, 2021, in Lees Ferry, Arizona. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)
Ross D. Franklin/AP
The Colorado River in the upper River Basin is seen, May 29, 2021, in Lees Ferry, Arizona. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)

Nearly 40 million people across seven states rely on the Colorado River’s dwindling waters to meet their needs.

A Trump administration deadline came and went Tuesday without a sustainable water-sharing agreement. State negotiators say they’re making progress.

Here & Now‘s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Bradley Udall, senior water and climate research scientist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Water Center.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom

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