Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers
The Bureau of Reclamation plan would force California, Nevada and Arizona to cut 1.25 million acre-feet a year as reservoir levels hit record lows.
- Under a new Bureau of Reclamation plan, California, Nevada, and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually over the next two years to address the dwindling Colorado River, which serves 40 million people across the West.
- Both Lake Mead and Lake Powell hit record lows this month, while a record snow drought has left other Bureau reservoirs at their lowest levels in decades, creating cascading pressure on the entire Colorado River system.
- Cave Creek Mayor Robert Morris likened the looming uncertainty to a "meteor strike," while Arizona Farm Bureau president John Boelts said farmers in Yuma, producing about 90% of winter leafy greens, remain reluctant to plant new acreage.
- Nevada raised the stakes this week by suing the Interior Department and the Bureau, arguing the Las Vegas region faces unmet basic needs if it absorbs planned reductions of up to 70% of its Colorado River water.
- Intense moisture in the coming months offers limited relief, as decades of drought cannot be reversed by seasonal weather patterns alone, leaving the region facing persistent water uncertainty for years ahead.
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This article was originally published on Cedarnews.net. For more news and exclusive reports, visit our website. Colorado River plan: The initial report was published by AP News at 2:06 PM GMT+0200. Additional verified details were not immediately available. This news was published on the Cedarnews website. For more breaking news and exclusive reports, visit our official website.
Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers
Mayor Robert Morris of Cave Creek, Arizona, is worried about more water shortages from the severely depleted Colorado River.
Colorado River plan to cut water brings uncertainty for cities and farmers
Water buoys are seen near the “bathtub ring,” a buildup of white mineral deposits where water levels once stood and have now receded, at Lake Mead, Nevada, on August 21, 2026.
A new federal plan to reduce water use from the Colorado River has heightened uncertainty in the US West, where cities and farmers are already dealing with prolonged drought and shortages.
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