By Larry Don Suckla

Colorado and our neighboring states are standing on the edge of a crisis that is no longer theoretical. The Colorado River, the lifeline of the American west, is facing conditions that demand immediate, responsible action. If we fail to act wisely, the consequences will not just be environmental.

Right now, the situation at Lake Powell is approaching a critical threshold. Federal projections show we must conserve approximately 1.7 million acre-feet of water this year alone to prevent the reservoir from dropping below the level needed to generate hydropower. That is not a distant possibility. It could happen before the end of summer.

If Lake Powell falls below that level, dam operators will be forced to rely on bypass tubes never designed for sustained, high-volume use. The risk is not just inefficiency. It is structural failure. If those systems are compromised, downstream water deliveries could be disrupted in ways that would affect millions of people and large portions of the western economy.

The question before us is how to prevent that outcome. There are really only two options: pull more water from upstream reservoirs in states like Colorado or reduce the amount of water released downstream to lower-basin states.

As a representative of western Colorado, I can tell you draining our upstream reservoirs is not a sustainable solution. Reservoirs like Blue Mesa are already sitting at roughly half capacity. They are not a backup plan we can afford to exhaust. These reservoirs support our local economies, agriculture, recreation and long-term drought resilience. Once they are depleted, there is no quick recovery if another dry year follows.

The reality is simple: the math does not work if we rely solely on upstream contributions. Lake Powell is vastly larger than any of the reservoirs that feed it. Even if we drained those systems, it would not be enough to solve the problem, and we would leave Colorado exposed to even greater risk.

That is why Colorado and other upper-basin states are right to push for a balanced approach that includes reducing downstream releases. The federal government already has the authority to make these adjustments to protect critical infrastructure. That authority should be used responsibly and in a way that recognizes the limits facing upstream states.

This is not about shifting blame or avoiding difficult decisions. Lower-basin states have already taken significant cuts in recent years, and those efforts should be acknowledged. But the current moment requires shared responsibility and realistic solutions. We cannot solve a structural imbalance in the river system by placing additional strain on regions already stretched thin.

At the same time, we cannot ignore the larger failure to reach a long-term agreement on managing the Colorado River after 2026. For more than two years, states have struggled to find consensus, and we are now approaching a point where short-term decisions will carry long-term consequences.

If the states cannot come together, the federal government will step in with its own management plan. That outcome should concern everyone. A one-size-fits-all federal approach is unlikely to reflect the unique needs of Colorado or the realities on the ground in our communities.

Colorado must continue to lead with a clear message: we support collaboration, we support conservation, and we support practical solutions that protect both our water future and our local economies. But we will not support policies that jeopardize our reservoirs, our agriculture, or our communities in the name of short-term fixes.

The Colorado River has always required careful stewardship. Today, that responsibility is more urgent than ever. The decisions made in the coming weeks will shape the future of the West for years to come.

We cannot afford to get this wrong.

Larry Don Suckla farms and ranches with his wife and two daughters across four southwestern Colorado counties. Suckla served two terms as a Montezuma County Commissioner and was named Colorado Commissioner of the Year in 2017. He now represents House District 58.