How Trump is already adding to Colorado River water worries

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/14/climate/trump-colorado-river-west-water/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit

by cnn

3 comments

  1. President Donald Trump’s first month in office has worried federal and state officials alike tasked with overseeing the West’s all-important water supply.

    The Bureau of Reclamation — the federal agency tasked with managing America’s largest dams, including Hoover and Glen Canyon on the Colorado River — is facing as much as a 40% staff cut, although the final number could be lower, three people familiar with the matter told CNN. And the agency still doesn’t have a nominee for the commissioner to lead it.

    Trump’s early actions, from staff cuts to directly ordering the US Army Corps of Engineers to open two California dams, have led to [concerns over the stability of water management](https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/14/climate/trump-colorado-river-west-water/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=reddit) in the region.

    The administration’s pause on federal grants for water cuts, which have since been reinstated, threw a wrench into negotiations between seven Western states on how to divvy up a dwindling and overused Colorado River – negotiations managed by Reclamation with critical deadlines approaching.

    Internal discussions at Reclamation are now focused on how to protect critical staff who oversee dam safety and hydropower, but agency morale is extremely low, two of the sources said. There is fear that a combination of so-called staff “buyouts” and the firing of probationary employees has already created a “skeleton crew” that could be further winnowed, one person familiar with the discussions told CNN.

  2. He better be careful, if the Colorado runs dry, Lake Mead will go dry, which means no water for Las Vegas, which has one of his largest multi-million dollar hotels. But this is Trump were talking about, the only man to bankrupt multiple casinos. Wouldnt surpose me if he hasnt even considered that this might harm his own wallet.

  3. Just a libertarian’s dream. Might makes right. In less than 50 years it will likely be just a small stream, so perhaps we’re just getting a head start on things.

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