The U.S. Department of the Interior has finalized operating guidelines for the Colorado River system for 2027 and 2028, that establish criteria for releases from Lake Powell based on actual hydrological conditions and a minimum reservoir elevation of 3,510 feet to support continued operations at Glen Canyon Dam. They also provide tools to protect infrastructure at Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam while preserving flexibility for future agreements among basin stakeholders.

 

The decision includes the 2027-2028 Operating Guidelines and the Record of Decision for the Post-2026 Colorado River Operations Final Environmental Impact Statement. Together, they establish a 10-year decision framework that will guide future operating rules for Lake Powell and Lake Mead.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum emphasized the river's importance to communities and industries throughout the region. "Forty million people, millions of acres of farmland and ranchland, industries that power the American West, and some of our nation's fastest growing metropolitan areas depend on the Colorado River," Burgum said.

https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-department-finalizes-plans-2027-2028-colorado-river-operations

As seen in LASN magazine, October 2026.