for millennia, one reason there are so many ruins. People built civilizations for a few decades or centuries and then moved when rivers dried up. It helps that we can actually store water in reservoirs, but there will still be drier years and decades. We have to plan for the long term. The upper and lower CO River basins should cut down to 6 million acre feet each and then enjoy an occasional temporary surplus if it ever happens.

Also, no water should be pumped to Los Angeles or other coastal regions. California should get its act together and ramp up desalination. There is plenty of water without taking from the river.