Amy Haas

Executive Director

Amy I. Haas has been named the Colorado River Authority of Utah’s (CRAU) first Executive Director. A longtime Colorado River veteran with 20 years of water management experience, Haas has held multiple positions specific to the Colorado River Basin.

Most recently serving as Executive Director and Secretary of the Upper Colorado River Commission (UCRC), Haas became the first woman to do so in the organization’s 73-year history. In this capacity, she saw that the Commission fulfilled its statutory responsibilities under the 1948 Upper Colorado River Basin Compact, while supporting the water entitlements and obligations of the four Upper Division States (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming) under the 1922 Colorado River Compact. Haas also participated in negotiating and drafting the Upper Basin Drought Contingency Plan and related federal authorizing legislation. She represented the Upper Colorado River Basin on the U.S. delegation that drafted and is currently implementing a 2017 binational agreement (Minute 323) between the United States and Mexico for use of Colorado River water under the 1944 Mexican Water Treaty.

While at UCRC, Haas was also responsible for monitoring the implementation of the 2007 Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lakes Powell and Mead (2007 Interim Guidelines). She served as the liaison between the Upper Division States and Reclamation for the States’ use of Upper Colorado River Basin Fund hydropower revenues. Additionally, Haas oversaw both the Upper Basin Consumptive Use Study to investigate potential adoption by the Commission of a uniform methodology for calculating Upper Basin consumptive uses, as well as updates to Upper Basin depletion demand schedules at regular intervals.

Prior to joining UCRC staff, Haas was New Mexico’s Upper Colorado River Commissioner and its Colorado River Basin States Representative from 2015-2017. She held these positions while working for the New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission as both Acting Director (2014-15) and General Counsel (2009-17).

Named the 2017 Lawyer of the Year by the natural resources, energy and environment section of the New Mexico State Bar, Haas began her law career in New Mexico as an attorney in private practice, concentrating on water and land use law.

A native of Northern California, Haas received a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis and a Juris Doctor from the University of New Mexico. When she’s not working, Haas can be found trail running, hiking or doting on her two sons, the youngest of whom will be a freshman at the University of Utah in the fall of 2021.