Click the link to read the article on Governor Polis’ website:
THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Governor Polis released the following statement ahead of a meeting between Western governors and federal officials on the Colorado River.
“Colorado is coming to Washington committed to an agreement that reflects real world water supplies and shares responsibility across all seven Basin states. I am fighting for Colorado water users and our way of life. I look forward to working with Interior and Basin partners to develop a better way to protect the river, respect our state authority, and provide long-term certainty for so many people and communities who depend on the mighty Colorado River,” said Governor Jared Polis.
The river sustains communities, Tribal nations, agriculture, and critical hydropower infrastructure across the West. Protecting Lake Powell and Lake Mead is not a regional concern – it is a shared obligation essential to the stability of the entire system.
Colorado has invested heavily in conservation and efficiency while honoring existing water rights and interstate compacts and is prepared to continue that work. A sustainable agreement must be supply-based, enforceable, and equitable.
