Eric digs into the ways politicians ignored drought data to create the 1922 Colorado River Compact, and how that intentional myopia continued for almost a century. Today, the entire basin must finally reckon with what has been true all along; that the allocated water just is not there. He busts two foundational myths along the way, one about the science and data, and the other about water use. He then situates the Lake Powell Pipeline (LPP) into the present moment of truth, setting the stage for our next, perhaps final podcast about the LPP itself.
We say “perhaps,” because if this story continues to unfold as dynamically as in the last couple weeks, we will need another podcast later to keep up. To wit: ALL the other basin states just signed a letter threatening court action unless Utah commits to resolving key LLP issues through the Compact itself, per the agreement. Utah responded by asking the Bureau of Reclamation to extend the deadline for their environmental study, giving everyone more time and breathing room. This steps the LLP back from President Trump’s “Fast Track,” which he has conferred on about sixty other projects nationwide, including Washington County’s Northern Corridor Highway. Stay tuned…
Eric Kuhn is the co-author of Science be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River. He was General Manager of the Colorado River Conservation District (CRCD) for twenty-two years. The CRDC is a government entity formed in 1937 which oversees Colorado River basin issues for the state.
He is also author of any number of papers about Colorado River water use and law, including an excellent piece linked in our Show Notes about the crux, upcoming 2026 Compact summit.
Show Notes
Science Be Dammed: How Ignoring Inconvenient Science Drained the Colorado River by Eric Kuhn and John Fleck
Rivers of Empire by Donald Worster
Pat Mulroy and the “Valentines Day Massacre” for Las Vegas water - (the “Massacre” bit is about ¾ the way down, but the whole article is worth reading)
2007 Interim Agreement - Record of Decision and American Rivers Article
Testing the Drought Contingency Plan
2026 Colorado River Compact Summit Inkstain Article by Eric Kuhn