PRESS RELEASE: New Colorado River Abundance Act Aims to Protect Water Supply, Hydropower, and Recreation in the Western U.S.

7 million acre-feet of new water: BlueRibbon Coalition’s proposal addresses critical infrastructure & economic stability while respecting water rights & compacts.

Washington, D.C.  — The BlueRibbon Coalition today announced the release of the Colorado River Abundance Act, a landmark policy framework designed to stabilize the Colorado River system by delivering up to 7 million acre-feet of new water supply, protecting hydropower generation, and ensuring continued recreation access at major federal reservoirs.

The Colorado River supplies water to approximately 40 million Americans, supports seven states and more than 30 Tribal Nations, and underpins a regional economy measured in trillions of dollars annually. Yet the system is being pushed beyond its limits by prolonged drought, climate variability, and decades of underinvestment in new supply.

The Colorado River Abundance Act responds with a fundamental shift in strategy—building new water at scale rather than continuing to manage decline through emergency shortages.

“You cannot conserve your way out of a structural water deficit,” said Ben Burr, Executive Director of the BlueRibbon Coalition. “This Act is about manufacturing water at scale—on the order of 7 million acre-feet—so the Colorado River system can function again. That means protecting hydropower, keeping reservoirs usable, sustaining recreation, and giving communities certainty instead of perpetual crisis.”

7 Million Acre-Feet: A System-Scale Solution

At its core, the Colorado River Abundance Act authorizes and coordinates the development of up to 7 million acre-feet of new, reliable water supply over time, equivalent to:

• More than half of the Colorado River’s average annual flow, or
• Enough water to serve tens of millions of households, or
• The difference between chronic emergency and long-term stability for Lake Powell and Lake Mead

This new supply is intended to come from large-scale desalination, advanced water reuse, and system efficiency projects, reducing pressure on the river while preserving existing water rights and interstate compacts.

Positioning the U.S. as a Global Leader in 21st-Century Water Technology

Beyond stabilizing the Colorado River, the Act positions the United States to lead globally in an emerging critical technology: industrial-scale water production.

As water scarcity increasingly shapes global security, economic growth, and geopolitical stability, nations around the world are investing heavily in desalination and advanced water systems. The Colorado River Abundance Act:

• Establishes the U.S. as a leader in next-generation desalination and reuse technology
• Creates a domestic platform for exportable infrastructure, engineering, and operational expertise
• Strengthens national resilience by treating water supply as critical infrastructure, on par with energy and transportation

Water is becoming one of the defining strategic resources of the 21st century. This Act ensures the United States leads—technologically, economically, and environmentally—instead of falling behind.

Protecting Power, Reservoirs, and Recreation

In addition to new supply, the Act includes safeguards to:

• Prevent catastrophic drawdown at Lake Powell and Lake Mead
• Protect low-cost, carbon-free hydropower relied upon by millions across the West
• Maintain functional recreation access, supporting tourism economies, public safety, and rural communities

The legislation recognizes that water reliability, power generation, and recreation access are inseparable outcomes of a functioning reservoir system.

Why the BlueRibbon Coalition Is Leading

The BlueRibbon Coalition represents recreationists, access advocates, and rural communities already experiencing the consequences of system failure—closed boat ramps, stranded marinas, unsafe navigation, and collapsing tourism economies.

“When reservoirs stop functioning, the damage isn’t theoretical—it’s immediate and local,” BRC Policy Director, Simone Griffin said. “Many of our members live in the Colorado River Basin, and while we are a recreation-focused organization, we recognize that our modern recreation economy relies on strong communities built on a foundation of stable water supplies and the prosperity that comes from developing abundant resources.”

The BlueRibbon Coalition is advancing the Colorado River Abundance Act as a policy blueprint for lawmakers, Western states, Tribal governments, water and power agencies, and infrastructure partners.

The Act does not rewrite interstate compacts or water rights, but instead delivers the infrastructure, operational clarity, and new supply needed to make those agreements sustainable in a changing world. 

“The Colorado River Abundance Act is not a final answer—it is the beginning of a necessary conversation,” Burr said. “For too long, Colorado River policy has assumed that decline is inevitable and that emergency measures are permanent. This Act challenges that assumption and opens the door to a new paradigm—one focused on system stability, innovation, and long-term abundance.”

For more information, visit coloradoriverabundanceact.com.

About BlueRibbon Coalition

Since 1987, the BlueRibbon Coalition has fought to preserve recreation access to America’s public lands. Serving members in all 50 states, BRC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit driven by grassroots energy and works across all outdoor recreation sectors through advocacy, litigation, and policy development.

For over twenty years, BlueRibbon Coalition has been the leading advocate for protecting recreational access at Lake Powell. Its members are living the consequences of an unstable Colorado River system. In response to feedback from the Coalition’s advocacy, the Bureau of Reclamation directly acknowledged and addressed members’ concerns in the latest Environmental Impact Statement for the Post-2026 Colorado River Operational Guidelines.