Upper Colorado River Compact

The Upper Colorado River Compact, signed in 1948, is an agreement among Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming to allocate the waters of the Colorado River’s upper basin. It divides the river’s flow—derived from snowmelt—and allocates 7.5 million acre-feet annually to each of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. The compact ensures fair distribution for use in agriculture, industry, and municipal needs while managing water to prevent conflicts. It also commits these states to cooperate on water management and conservation, helping sustain river flows and ecosystems for future generations.