Bad runoff forecast boosts chances of court fight over Colorado River
Shown here dramatically free of ice on Jan. 10, 2026, the Gunnison River is a major tributary to the Colorado River. Unusually warm weather lingered through late autumn and into early winter throughout central Colorado, raising concerns over snowpack levels and water resources for Western states including Arizona.
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Bad runoff forecast boosts chances of court fight over Colorado RiverThe Upper Colorado River Basin snowpack is at the lowest levels in at least three decades, raising the prospect of near-record-low runoff this spring into Lake Powell. That's likely to ratchet up conflicts in the seven-state negotiations over the Colorado Rover's future, a longtime water expert says.
