The seven states that use water from the Colorado River are trying to reach an agreement on how to share and manage the water at a time when climate change is drying out the region.

There are currently two different proposals — one by the Upper Basin, which includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, and another by the Lower Basin, which includes California, Arizona, and Nevada.

The states have to work out a deal before the current agreement expires in 2026 and are under pressure to finalize a deal before the election in November because the outcome could change the political landscape.

Host Scott Tong speaks with Jake Bittle, staff writer at our editorial partner Grist.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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