Colorado
US Plans to Limit Water Usage from Colorado River
The U.S. government plans to reduce the amount of Colorado River water several states are permitted to use next year.
The river supplies water to seven Western states, more than 20 Native American tribes, and two states in Mexico.
Those states and the country of Mexico are also considering plans for how to share the water after 2026. That is when many current rules and agreements about the use of Colorado River water will come to an end.
The river brings water to millions of hectares of farmland in the American West. Hydroelectric dams on the river produce power. Experts say increased water use, combined with rising temperatures and dry weather, are the reasons for the need to make cuts.
In 2007, following years of dry weather, the U.S. states in the river’s basin and the federal government agreed to rules to help deal with lower water levels. The states involved were Arizona, Nevada, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Those rules determine when some of the states must cut their water usage based on levels at Lake Mead. The lake is on the border of Nevada and Arizona. It provides water for hydropower, farming, and other needs.
Because of the need for new rules, states, Native American tribes, and others are forming new plans to deal with even deeper water cuts that might happen in 2026.
The federal government will announce water cuts for 2025 based on levels at Lake Mead. If Lake Mead drops below a level that has been agreed to, Arizona, California, Nevada and Mexico will face cuts. However, California might not face cuts because the current rules give that state special water rights.
Last year, Arizona, California and Nevada agreed to save an extra 3 million acre-feet of water in addition to the cuts the federal government had already required. An “acre-foot” is equal to about 1.2 million liters. In return, the U.S. government agreed to pay water districts and other users for much of that reduction in water use.
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are in the river’s Upper Basin. Those states have not used all of the water the rules permit them to use. For this reason, they have not yet had to reduce the amount of water they take from the river.
Wet weather in 2023 and efforts to save water by Lower Basin states have increased the level of Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Lake Powell in Utah is another body of water that holds and releases water from the river.
However, experts say higher temperatures will continue to reduce water in the Colorado River in the coming years.
In March, Upper and Lower Basin states, tribes and environmental groups proposed plans to deal with likely water reductions in the future.
Arizona, California and Nevada asked the federal government to include water levels at other reservoirs besides Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Their plan says that if the whole system drops below 38 percent of the maximum amount of water it can hold, the Upper Basin and Mexico should share deeper cuts equally with the Lower Basin.
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming want larger and sooner cuts when water is low at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The cuts would affect California, Arizona and Nevada. Their plan does not call for reductions in how much water Upper Basin states use.
The federal government is expected to propose new rules by December. The rules would consider the different plans and possible steps for the future. Until then, states, tribes and other groups will continue negotiations on water.
I’m Andrew Smith. And I’m Anna Matteo.
Suman Naishadham wrote this story for The Associated Press. Andrew Smith adapted it for VOA Learning English.
________________________________________________
Words in This Story
basin –n. the area drained by a river
determine –v. to officially decide
acre-feet –n. a measure of volume used specifically in the United States for large-scale water use which is equal to about 1.2 million liters
district –n. a special area created by a government for a special purpose
reservoir –n. a body of water usually formed by a dam that is meant to be used as a water supply
Colorado
Biological sex and transgender rights for youth at the center of Colorado ballot measures
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Colorado voters will be asked in November whether or not state laws should change on how youth sports are organized and who is allowed to have certain surgeries in the state.
Protect Kids Colorado (PKC) is an organization that worked to get initiatives 109 and 110 on the ballot. Kevin Lundberg, a republican and former Colorado State Senator and State Representative, serves on the organization’s Board of Directors.
According to it’s website, PKC “is a grassroots, We the People movement to educate, unify, and mobilize … any concerned citizen to protect kids from becoming victims of a dangerous and false ideology.”
Several LGBTQ+ advocates in Colorado oppose the initiatives, including One Colorado. On Instagram, the organization called the measures “dangerous” and “anti-trans.”
Initiative 109 asks voters to make a new state law, requiring students compete on sports teams aligned with their biological sex, starting in kindergarten and lasting through higher education. There would be an exception for females to join male teams if there is no female team available. Schools and athletic associations would have to designate teams as male, female or coeducational.
Initiative 110 seeks to prohibit biological sex-altering surgery on minors. Doctors would not be allowed to provide such procedures, and public insurance companies, including Medicaid reimbursement, would not be allowed to pay for them.
Leaders with Inside Out Youth Services (IOYS), an LGBTQ+ advocacy group based in Colorado Springs, say these measures would harm young people.
“The message that this would send to our young people is that they matter less than their peers,” said Ollie Glessner with IOYS. “It would send the message that they don’t exist, their identities don’t exist and aren’t worth protecting.”
Erin Lee, Executive Director for PKC, says the measures secure protections that previous state legislative proposals have sought to secure but failed.
“These are not right versus left issues, these are just right versus wrong issues. And so we wanted to give the people a way to still put these common sense safeguards in place for children,” Lee said.
Similar proposals are being considered by congress within the SAVE Act.
The election is November 3.
Copyright 2026 KKTV. All rights reserved.
Colorado
Colorado Lottery Powerball, Powerball Double Play results for March 23, 2026
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Colorado Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 23, 2026, results for each game:
Powerball
12-18-47-56-63, Powerball: 01, Power Play: 10
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Powerball Double Play
01-02-07-30-64, Powerball: 19
Pick 3
Midday: 5-4-5
Evening: 5-0-5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Cash 5
05-08-11-22-29
Colorado Lotto+
02-03-15-21-29-30
Colorado Lotto+ Plus Numbers
06-12-15-18-26-29
Millionaire for Life
01-14-19-29-35, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by Fort Collins Coloradoan planner Holly Engelman. You can send feedback using this form.
Colorado
Letter to the editor: Don’t let Democrats gut TABOR in Colorado
Democrats frustrated? Fine by me! House Speaker Julie McCluskie says we need a real conversation about the state’s fiscal constraints? Well, here it is.
The state is required to pass a balanced budget just like everyone else who lives here, spending no more than what is available, unless they want to file for bankruptcy. Yet Democrats controlling Colorado continue to desire more and more of our money to fund and expand their pet projects in order to take care of us. They will certainly do that if we let them, but perhaps not how we expect.
Their expansion of Medicaid over the years is a good example. The Dems relied on federal payments that were increased in the COVID years to expand the program, knowing good and well those payments were only temporary. Now they want the citizenry to keep funding those increases. Same with many other of their nanny state programs.
The good-thinking citizens of Colorado voted down TABOR attacks by the Democrats in 2019 and 2023 by significant amounts, yet they continue to try circumventing it, even calling many of their tax increases “fees” in order to get around it. The populace knows reality.
“Liberal groups”, woefully unidentified by Summit Daily, are attempting to gut our TABOR flat tax and push us into a graduated income tax so well-off individuals have to pay even more. Why? To be more fair? No. To raise more revenue the Democrats can spend, just like California and New York. That would turn us into a comparable state all right, where wealthy citizens would just leave to avoid higher taxes. What happens when the wealthy leave? Colorado would lose even more revenue, unless of course, the rest of us pay more. That would happen if TABOR is gutted.
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