One day before the deadline, states in the Upper Colorado River Basin reached consensus on how to manage water rights and dwindling resources moving forward, but the Lower Basin states rejected the plan as unfair.

Representatives from Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, New Mexico, California, Nevada and Arizona have been working to reach a new agreement as demand and threats to the river’s water supply continue to increase. Management of Colorado River resources has been governed by the Colorado River Compact since 1922, but disputes over water use and resource constraints have led to lawsuits in recent years.

The Bureau of Reclamation says several decision documents and agreements governing the river’s operation are set to expire at the end of this year. The western states have been working to renegotiate the water use pact for over two years and missed the November deadline to reach a new agreement. A new deadline was set for Feb. 14.

Representatives of the seven states entered talks in the nation’s capital at the end of January.

On Friday, the four Upper Basin states, Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico, announced that they reached consensus on a “durable, long-term, basin-wide agreement on post 2026 Colorado River operations.” They say that everyone in the basin must learn to live within the available supply, and that the Upper Basin is preparing for necessary and painful cuts to its water supplies.

A statement issued by the Upper Basin states on Friday said, “Upper Basin water users are preparing for reductions of more than 2.0 MAF this year. Across the entire Upper Basin, this will amount to reductions greater than 40% of the proven water rights. Meanwhile, our downstream neighbors are seeking to secure water from the UDS that simply does not exist.”

John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas, also issued a statement on Friday, explaining that the states have “failed to reach an agreement to collectively protect our respective communities and economies in the face of almost certain reductions to our use of the river.”

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo said in a news release that management of the river “must be built on a foundation of shared contribution and innovation, with all Colorado River water users stretching to conserve water.” They asserted that the Lower Basin states have already offered to reduce their share and asserted that their stance remains “firm and fair.”

The Lower Basin states added that they contain approximately 75% of the population, employment, and crop sales supported by the river. They also include 25 Indigenous tribes that depend on it. Utah, Arizona and Nevada are also among the top ten states in percent growth from 2024 to 2025.

Upper Colorado River Commission Chair and Colorado Commissioner, Becky Mitchell, said, “We’re being asked to solve a problem we didn’t create with water we don’t have. The Upper Division’s approach is aligned with hydrologic reality and we’re ready to move forward.”

New Mexico Commissioner Estevan Lopez warned that unrealistic demands on the system will damage the entire basin.

“The River is telling us the truth every year,” he asserted. “We can either negotiate based on real conditions, including this year’s critically low hydrology in the Upper Basin, or we can keep repeating outdated assumptions until the system breaks. The Upper Division is choosing realism and responsibility.” 

Seven states are facing a deadline to come to a consensus on how to share water from the shrinking Colorado River.

The deadline for seven states to agree on how to split up the water from the shrinking Colorado River is looming.

The debate has pitted the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada against the four states in the Upper Basin: Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico. The states are struggling to find a way to save enough water so that the two largest reservoirs on the river and in the nation — Lakes Mead and Powell — retain water levels capable of producing hydropower and of supplying downstream users in the Lower Basin and Mexico.

The states have tried unsuccessfully for more than a year to reach a voluntary agreement to replace dam-operating guidelines that expire later in 2026. Federal officials have said they want a consensus on a deal that will last 20 years by Feb. 14, though that deadline may not be firm.

For months, the Upper Basin states have argued they would only make voluntary cuts because they don’t use as much water as the Lower Basin and can’t control the drought that has afflicted them.

In Longmont, the local YMCA is closing down at the end of the month for financial reasons, even as residents say it stays busy.

Chris Coker, the CEO for Northern Colorado YMCA, says he can’t afford to keep Longmont’s doors open any longer as it has been losing money for years. However, some visitors shared that they are skeptical — as Coker has been accused of mishandling funds in a past audit. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Just days after the closure was announced this week, the Longmont YMCA was packed. On Wednesday, Linda and Steve Andrews were just arriving for a fitness class for people with Parkinson’s disease.

“Walking really well today, those classes help,” Linda Andrews said to her husband.

Randy Pollard said the class is one of very few of its kind in the area, adding, “I’ve been coming here for so long. This has been home, you know. So we’d really miss it if it closes.”

Another class member, Charlie Corsan, had just learned about the closure and possible end of his class, adding, “I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Across the parking lot, Danae Higdon was also struggling with the news after she said she taught Zumba at the facility for more than 30 years.

“We were, like, in shock to find out that Feb. 28 is our last day,” Higdon said.

The closure means she will be losing her community and only source of income.

“It’s been very hard because, you know, my class, my class is like family to me. We all get together here, we all laugh and we all share our problems and dance away all our pain, and very soon we’re not going to have this,” Higdon said.

Even though Higdon says the Longmont branch consistently reached membership and fundraising goals, CEO Coker says the Longmont branch has lost $500,000 over the last few years, leading to this month’s closure.

Coker said he’s gotten a lot of hate mail recently and understands that he “could have given more warning” but says he is financially forced to face the “reality of the situation.”

Coker says alongside declining donations and less federal funding, the Longmont YMCA only has 300 full paying members while the rest are on a discounted SilverSneakers insurance program.

When CBS Colorado asked Coker if there were enough visitors, even with a full parking lot during CBS Colorado’s visit, Coker said, “You can have a lot of people in there, but when they’re all paying $4 for a 50,000 square foot plus building, it doesn’t add up financially.”

Coker estimates the organization would need a $250,000 donation for the Longmont location in order to stay open.

In an effort to save the Longmont YMCA, Coker says he’s worked for months to sell it to the city of Longmont and has been working to negotiate a deal. However, the City of Longmont responded to the closure with a statement that they’re considering the project but “…no agreement has been reached, and the city has made no commitments.”

The city of Longmont does not have a clear timeline for when this project could be addressed next.

“Some of these (visitors) have been there for 40 years as members. It’s their family, it’s their friends, it’s their social life, and we’re ripping that away from them. It’s not okay, but it’s the reality of the situation we’re in,” Coker said.

Coker says the Longmont YMCA will look into if they can transfer any classes to other Northern Colorado YMCAs in the next few weeks. Northern Colorado YMCA says they will keep preschool and summer camps open.

Meanwhile, Higdon is holding out hope for a solution, sharing “We are very sad, but … I know we’re going to find a way to keep it going, to keep dancing.”