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PRESSER: Drought Contingency Plan Fails — Proposed New Colorado River Diversions Must Be Stopped

For Immediate Release
Feb 1, 2019
Contact: Gary Wockner, Save The Colorado, 970-218-8310

Drought Contingency Plan Fails — Proposed New Colorado River Diversions Must Be Stopped

Colorado River, USA: Today, for the first time in American history, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation (BuRec) has issued a formal “Notice” asking for input on how to address the extended drought in the Colorado River basin due to the failure of the “Drought Contingency Plan” (DCP) to be fulfilled by Jan. 31st. The “Notice” is here: https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/

The “Notice” directs the Governors of the seven Colorado River basin states to give BuRec “input” on how to address the failure of the DCP and the ongoing drought that is draining Lakes Mead and Powell. The “Notice” fails to use the words “climate change.”

“The Governors of Colorado and Utah must stop proposed new diversions in their states,” said Gary Wockner of Save The Colorado. “Both states are proposing to drain the Colorado River system even farther.”

Water agencies in Colorado are proposing the Windy Gap Firming Project (30,000 acre feet), and the Moffat Collection System Project (15,000 acre feet), while Utah is proposing the Lake Powell Pipeline (86,000 acre feet).

“When you’re in a hole, stop digging…literally,” said Wockner. “Governor Polis in Colorado and Governor Herbert in Utah should immediately stop these disastrous projects that will make this historic crisis worse.”

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