Report on Water Management in the Colorado River Basin and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Crisis of Scarcity and Sustainability

The Colorado River Basin, a critical water source for seven U.S. states and Mexico, is facing an unprecedented water management crisis. This situation directly challenges the achievement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Decades of over-allocation, compounded by the severe impacts of climate change, have resulted in a significant reduction in water availability. This report analyzes the complex interplay of legal frameworks, stakeholder negotiations, and innovative strategies being employed to manage this vital resource, with a specific focus on their connection to the SDGs.

Key professionals, including Kristen Johnson of the Arizona Department of Water Resources and Catherine Stites of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, are at the forefront of negotiations to amend operating guidelines before their 2026 expiration. The challenge underscores the urgent need for integrated solutions that support environmental health, economic stability, and social equity.

The Governance Framework: Pursuing SDG 16 and SDG 17

Historical Context and Current Challenges

The foundation of the river’s management, the 1922 Colorado River Compact, was based on flawed hydrological data from an unusually wet period. This historical overestimation has created a structural deficit, a problem exacerbated by population growth and climate change, directly impacting the goals of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

• Original Allocation: 15 million acre-feet annually, split between the upper and lower basins.
• Current Reality: The river’s flow is now closer to 12 million acre-feet, with projections dropping to 10 or 11 million.
• The “Law of the River”: A complex web of subsequent laws, treaties, and court decisions that complicates unified management and highlights the need for stronger, more adaptable institutions as outlined in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Negotiation and Cooperation: The Core of SDG 17

The current situation necessitates intense cooperation among stakeholders, a central tenet of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). While the lower basin states are currently working cooperatively, the potential for litigation remains high. As noted by former Assistant Secretary of the Army Rachel Jacobson, a cooperative approach is essential, as “If the stakeholders aren’t working together, there will be litigation and fights.” This collaborative model is exemplified by the Fort Huachuca Sentinel Landscape, where military, civilian, and environmental interests partner to protect groundwater and promote conservation, serving as a model for achieving military readiness and environmental sustainability in tandem.

Impacts on Key Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

The core of the crisis is the struggle to ensure access to water. The region has been in a formal shortage condition since 2022, forcing cuts in water delivery. However, significant progress has been made in water-use efficiency, a key target of SDG 6.

1. Urban areas in Southern California now use half the water per capita compared to the 1990s, despite significant population growth.
2. Conservation efforts include low-flow appliances, changes in building codes, and the promotion of drought-tolerant landscaping.
3. Investment in water treatment and recycling is paramount, ensuring both quantity and quality of available water.

SDG 2, SDG 8, and SDG 11: Food, Economy, and Cities

The Colorado River is inextricably linked to regional food security, economic prosperity, and urban sustainability.

• SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): High-priority water rights are assigned to agricultural areas that produce over 90% of North America’s winter vegetables. Water scarcity directly threatens this food supply.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): The development of Southern California, an economy that would rank as the world’s fourth-largest, was enabled by Colorado River water. Sustainable economic growth depends on a reliable water supply.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): Major metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and San Diego are diversifying their water portfolios with groundwater, desalination, and recycled water to build resilience against shortages.

Innovation and Infrastructure for a Resilient Future (SDG 9)

Addressing the water crisis requires significant investment in SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). A portfolio approach to water supply is being implemented across the region.

Technological and Infrastructural Solutions

• Water Recycling: The Metropolitan Water District is investing approximately $7 billion to construct a massive recycled-water plant in Los Angeles to make wastewater potable.
• Enhanced Storage: In areas like northern California, there is a recognized need to expand reservoir capacity to capture more water during wet seasons to compensate for diminished snowpack.
• Advanced Monitoring: Research initiatives like the “Trusted Tap” project, led by Washington University, aim to develop simple, effective methods for monitoring tap water for contaminants, enhancing public health and trust in water systems.
• Scientific Partnerships: Academic institutions are partnering with water districts to study the impacts of blending different water sources and to advise on direct potable reuse strategies, ensuring that new solutions are scientifically sound and safe.

Conclusion: An Integrated Path Forward

The challenges facing the Colorado River Basin are a microcosm of global water issues and demonstrate the interconnectedness of the Sustainable Development Goals. Living with less water is the new reality. Moving forward, success depends on a continued commitment to the principles of the SDGs. This includes strengthening partnerships (SDG 17), investing in innovative infrastructure (SDG 9), promoting conservation to support sustainable cities and agriculture (SDG 11, SDG 2), and building resilient institutions (SDG 16) capable of managing this essential resource equitably and sustainably in the face of climate change (SDG 13).

SDGs Addressed in the Article

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – The article’s central theme is the management, scarcity, and quality of water from the Colorado River.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article discusses providing water for large urban populations in Southern California and the infrastructure required to support them.
• SDG 13: Climate Action – The text explicitly links water scarcity to climate change, which is reducing the river’s flow and necessitating adaptation strategies.
• SDG 15: Life on Land – The article touches upon the ecological impacts of water shortages, including the preservation of endangered species and the health of water bodies like Lake Mead.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals – The entire narrative is built around the complex negotiations and partnerships between states, federal agencies, legal experts, and research institutions to manage the shared water resource.
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger – The article connects water rights to agriculture, noting that the region produces “more than 90% of North America’s winter vegetables,” linking water availability to food security.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure – The text describes significant investments in water infrastructure, such as aqueducts, reservoirs, and advanced water recycling plants, as well as research into new water monitoring technologies.

Specific SDG Targets

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally.
     
     The article highlights this target through the discussion of a “$7 billion to construct a massive recycled-water plant in Los Angeles” to make wastewater potable. It also mentions research into monitoring “contaminants like lead and PFAS ‘forever’ chemicals” through the Trusted Tap project.
   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity.
     
     This is directly addressed by the statement that “per capita in the urban areas… we’re using half the water we used to use” due to conservation measures like low-flow appliances and changes in building codes. The entire negotiation process is aimed at managing sustainable withdrawals amid scarcity.
   • Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate.
     
     The article is a case study of this target. The “Law of the River,” the Colorado River Compact of 1922, and the ongoing “very delicate dance” of negotiations between the seven basin states represent a complex system of integrated and transboundary water resources management.

2. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
     
     The article frames the water shortage as a climate-related hazard, stating, “as climate change encroaches, every year there’s less to go around.” The efforts to conserve water, build new storage infrastructure like reservoirs, and negotiate new operating guidelines are all measures to strengthen resilience and adapt to a future with less water.

3. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
     
     This target is relevant through the mention of considering “requirements for endangered species preservation” in water management decisions and the ecological health of the river system, symbolized by the dropping levels of Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships.
     
     The article showcases numerous partnerships: between states (“lower basin states — Arizona, California and Nevada — are dancing somewhat in sync”), between the military and local agencies (Fort Huachuca’s conservation efforts), and between water districts and research institutions (Metropolitan Water District and WashU).

Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Indicators for Target 6.4 (Increase water-use efficiency)

   • Indicator 6.4.1 (Change in water-use efficiency over time): The article provides a direct measure for this indicator, stating that in Southern California’s urban areas, “we’re using half the water we used to use” per capita despite population growth.
   • Indicator 6.4.2 (Level of water stress): Water stress is indicated by the decreasing annual flow of the Colorado River, which has fallen from an average of “16 to 17 million acre-feet per year” to a current “12-million-acre-foot river,” with future planning for as low as 10 million. The fact that “Lake Mead, the Colorado River’s largest reservoir, hit its lowest-recorded level in 2021” is another clear indicator.

2. Indicators for Target 6.5 (Integrated water resources management)

   • Indicator 6.5.2 (Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation): The existence of the Colorado River Compact and the “Law of the River” serves as a qualitative indicator that an operational arrangement is in place for the entire basin. The ongoing negotiations to amend these agreements further highlight this.

3. Indicators for Target 6.3 (Improve water quality)

   • Proportion of wastewater safely treated: The construction of a massive recycled-water plant in Los Angeles implies a future increase in this indicator for the region.
   • Presence of water quality monitoring systems: The development of the “Trusted Tap” project to monitor for contaminants like lead and PFAS is an implied indicator of efforts to improve monitoring of drinking water quality.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

Source: source.washu.edu