In a recent episode of Independence Institute’s public affairs tv show, Devil’s Advocate, host Jon Caldara sits down with former Colorado Department of Natural Resources Executive Director Greg Walcher for an in-depth discussion of the Colorado River, interstate water compacts, and the growing conflict over how the West’s limited water supply should be managed.
Walcher explains that Colorado is a “rooftop state,” where every major river begins but none flow in. Despite producing the water that supplies roughly 90 million people across 17 downstream states, Colorado is legally entitled to use less than one-quarter of the water that originates within its borders under a series of interstate agreements dating back to the original Colorado River Compact.
The two discuss the tension between Upper Basin states—Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico—and Lower Basin states of California, Arizona, and Nevada. Walcher argues that prolonged drought has reduced river flows while Lower Basin states, particularly California, have historically consumed more than their allocated share. He also notes that federal management of reservoirs such as Lake Powell and Blue Mesa has often prioritized downstream demands at Colorado’s expense.
Walcher suggests Colorado expand storage capacity through new reservoirs, enlarge existing facilities, and dredge silt-filled reservoirs. He also advocates for California to invest more heavily in large-scale desalination projects rather than relying on additional Colorado River allocations.
You can see the entire episode on You Tube, or watch it below.
