Feds Order Colorado River Water Cuts For 3 States
The proposal could reduce Lower Basin allocations by up to 3 million acre-feet through 2036, while sparing Upper Basin states for now.
- On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced a 10-year federal plan requiring Arizona, California, and Nevada to curb Colorado River water use by about 20% over the next two years amid the waterway's chronic overuse.
- Climate change and chronic overuse have shrunk the Colorado River dramatically over 25 years, leaving combined water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead at historic lows last week and forcing federal intervention.
- Sparing the Upper Basin states—Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming—from mandatory cuts, the proposal concentrates reductions on the Lower Basin, which faces collective cuts of up to 3 million acre-feet through 2036.
- Arizona Department of Water Resources criticized the framework Friday, stating it "does nothing to elevate expectations around a coherent seven-state plan for shared sacrifice" and the reductions "would devastate Arizona."
- Legal experts anticipate the contentious issue could reach the Supreme Court, while the 10-year framework allows water management decisions to be revisited every two years, providing flexibility as drought conditions evolve.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Arizona, Nevada Blast Federal Plan for Colorado River
By Liam Hibbert Arizona and Nevada on Friday opposed a Colorado River usage reduction plan by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which could define the crucial waterway for 40 million people over the next decade. The Colorado River Final Environmental Impact Statement by the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Department of Interior emphasized the federal...
Western states face water cuts as Colorado River shrinks
After years of battles over its use — and a long-running drought — states that rely on the Colorado River are facing the prospect of further cutbacks. Years of gridlock among the states prompted the federal government to step in. A new blueprint lays out new requirements for managing the shrinking river. Science correspondent Miles O’Brien explains what’s at stake for our series, Tipping Point.
Nevada Governor Lombardo Vows To Fight ‘Devastating’ Federal Colorado River Water Plan
Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo spoke out Friday against a new federal plan for managing water from the Colorado River, warning it could unfairly cut Nevada’s share and hurt the state’s economy and communities.The U.S. Department of the Interior released a major report outlining how two key reservoirs — Lake Powell and Lake Mead — will be run after current rules expire at the end of 2026. The plan calls for significant reductions in water use, with the…
IID responds to new Colorado River plan that will see steep cuts to water use in three states
IMPERIAL, Calif. (KESQ) - The Imperial Irrigation District issued a statement responding to the announcement of a new Colorado River plan that will require three states to slash their water use by 16 to 20% through 2028 as the water levels reach new lows. On Friday, the US Bureau of Reclamation published its final environmental impact The post IID responds to new Colorado River plan that will see steep cuts to water use in three states appeared …
The seven states that depend on it have been fighting for years to know how to share the water of the river, without reaching agreement. The impasse in these negotiations has forced the Trump administration to act as an arbiter. The new plan allows it to impose restrictions on California, Arizona and Nevada to reduce their collective consumption to 3.7 billion cubic metres per year by 2028 - the equivalent of 1.5 million Olympic pools. "This rep…
U.S. Raises Threat of Steep Water Cuts in Lower Colorado River Basin
WASHINGTON — Communities and farms across Arizona, Nevada and California face potentially drastic cuts in the water they can use from the Colorado River over the next decade under a plan the Trump administration published on Friday.
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