While the historic agreement set a new precedent for water rights, its inherent flaws, growing demand, and the threat of climate change make much of it obsolete for today’s needs.

The first treaty in U.S. history to bring together more than two states, the Colorado River Compact turns one hundred this month. But, as Jonathan Thompson writes in High Country News, the historic seven-state agreement is “showing its age,” no longer a viable document for addressing the water shortage facing communities along the Colorado River today.
The article analyzes the compact’s history, its most relevant provisions, and how today’s policymakers can redress the mistakes made in those early days and plan for a more resilient future. The treaty was full of holes from the beginning, Thompson explains. “Tribal nations were not only left out of the Compact and negotiations, but their senior and therefore stronger water rights were discounted altogether.” Thompson asserts that “The exclusion was far worse than a gross oversight; it was a blatant attack on tribal sovereignty.”
Thompson adds that the compact was based on flawed or purposely misleading assumptions about water supplies and needs. Yet “The document’s framers never even considered the possibility that the river’s flows would diminish over time, as is now the case thanks to climate-change-induced aridification.” The original document allocated 16 million acre-feet of water “in perpetuity” to irrigation, calling it 80 percent of the river’s flow, a conscious overestimate even at the time.
According to Thompson, “Now that it’s reaching its centennial, perhaps it’s time for the Colorado River Compact to retire, and for the river’s users — all of them — to sit down and negotiate a new pact for a changing world.”
FULL STORY: On its 100th birthday, the Colorado River Compact shows its age

In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.

Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.

Off-Peak is the New On-Peak
Public transit systems in major U.S. cities are starting to focus on non-rush hour travelers as pre-pandemic commuting patterns shift and transportation needs change.

Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.

Key Points From the Tesla Data Leak
Thousands of leaked safety complaints about the electric carmaker reveal a pervasive effort to hide problems from the public and prevent customers from filing lawsuits.

D.C. Residents Fight Light Pollution
New LED lighting has raised concerns about the health and environmental impacts of excessive or harsh lighting.
City of Bellevue
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Knox County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.