Two-year countdown: fate of the Colorado River on agenda at Western conference
A vital source of water for 40 million people, the Colorado River stretches 1,450 miles and provides water to seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
April 14, 2025
Fast facts:
- Session at NALC and NASDA Foundation conference details state of Colorado River agreements
- Nationally recognized attorneys James Eklund, Hannah Mink will lead session
- Conference registration is online, with livestream option
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The countdown is on to secure the fate of one of the most important resources to Western agriculture: the Colorado River.
A vital source of water for 40 million people, the Colorado River stretches 1,450 miles and provides water to seven states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Managing the river’s water allocation is a complex legal task — per federal directives, operational guidelines must be finalized before 2026 ends. These rules will govern how the river is managed following 2026.
James Eklund, partner and head of the Water and Natural Resources practice area at Taft Law, emphasizes the urgency for the Basin States to reach consensus well ahead of the 2026 deadline.
“Decisions made this year will shape the future of Western agriculture for decades,” Eklund said. “While 2026 may seem like a distant milestone, the window for critical action is quickly closing. States need time to negotiate, build consensus, and implement solutions. Without progress, the risk of legal conflict and federal intervention grows.”
Eklund and Taft Law Water Attorney Hannah Mink will provide an update on the Colorado River at the third annual Western Water, Agricultural, and Environmental Law Conference, titled “Deadlines Matter & the Two-Year Clock is Ticking: The Fate of the Colorado River & Future of Ag.” The conference is June 19-20 in Reno, Nevada. Eklund, a returning speaker, led a popular session on the Colorado River at the inaugural Western conference in 2023.
This year’s program is hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center, or NALC, and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation, or NASDA Foundation. The conference highlights pertinent agricultural issues which impact the western region of the country, with the Colorado River being a significant one.
Mink says that agriculture is at a crossroads, with water supply pressures demanding solutions. Without an agreement on the river, economic instability, legal conflicts, and environmental damage loom.
“If an agreement isn’t reached between the seven Colorado River Basin States, there will be broad consequences for Western agriculture,” Mink said. “Water banking and demand management programs are growing but face regulatory hurdles, Upper and Lower Basin States remain divided on strategy, and with the new administration, federal funding is in flux. In short, it’s a pivotal time.”
The Western conference will feature the opportunity for continuing education credits, including ethics credits, as well as continuing education from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. A livestream option is also available. More information and registration is available online at nationalaglawcenter.org/western2025.
“James and Hannah do excellent work out west in water law and beyond,” said NALC Director Harrison Pittman. “Their expertise is valued far and wide across the agricultural community, and it will be invaluable as stakeholders navigate this complex issue.”
For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the NASDA Foundation
The NASDA Foundation is the only educational and research organization that directly serves the nation’s state departments of agriculture. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The mission of the NASDA Foundation is to advance agriculture to shape a changing world.
For more information on the NASDA Foundation, visit nasda.org/nasda-foundation. The NASDA Foundation is also on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu