The Bureau of Reclamation’s four proposed plans are not set in stone, but for the first time offer insight into how federal leaders are planning for the future of the Colorado River.

Federal water officials have made public what they call “necessary steps” for the seven states and multiple tribes that rely on the Colorado River to meet an August 2026 deadline for deciding how to manage the waterway in the future.

Federal officials release a proposal outlining options for new, long-term rules for managing chronic water shortages from the overtapped Colorado River.