Three Drop Thursday
Slouching towardsBethlehem
Friends of Confluence West -
Welcome to Three Drop Thursday, a snapshot of what we’ve been paying attention to this week.
We’re all holding our breath this week as (maybe? possibly?) the Lower Basin Colorado River states may have a deal. The Department of Interior’s deadline for comments on how to manage the Colorado River in the short term is May 30. IF the seven Basin states do not come up with a viable agreement by then, Interior may (or may not?) finally lower “the boom” (aka we, DOI, will set the management rules without you.)
We also remind you of the place to be next month and invite you to take a few minutes to watch a lovely video on beavers and cows (yes, cows!)
For the West,
Kimery
Slouching Towards Bethlehem
Ella Nilsen’s CNN piece this week on the Colorado River negotiations includes an intriguing anonymous quote, “We think the US [Department of Interior] created a circumstance to encourage this kind of discussion by putting out two fundamentally flawed alternatives.” Josh Partlow’s piece in the Washington Post goes into a bit more detail and includes this priceless quote (again, anonymous): “The fundamental impasse here is between the feds being able to say what is going to happen versus an agreement the Lower Basin states have come to that’s at the same amounts. The dynamics are a little weird.”
All of which to say is …maybe, hopefully, an agreement will be announced on May 30, and we can start tackling the fundamental challenge - ensuring a resilient river system in the face of climate change.
Be there!
The fun place to be next month? Running Lava Falls? Scoring big at Nordstrom's half-year sale? Nope! The real fun will be at the Colorado River Basin conference June 8 & 9, Uni of Colorado, Boulder, co-hosted by the Water and Tribes Initiative. The fun (or not fun): a BOR ROD summer, fallout (or, ‘fallup’?) from the May 30 SEIS deadline, maybe/maybe not meaningful participation in decision-making by tribes, enviros, and cities, a joint proposal from all seven Basin states. Agenda and registration info here.
Beavers and Cattle - an oxymoron?
Take a few minutes, breathe and enjoy this well done video Beavers and Cattle. Cattle ranchers in the headwaters of the Ruby River in Montana talk about how beavers have improved, and are now essential, to their cattle operation.
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