Arizona, California and Nevada would share cuts under federal proposal to manage the Colorado River
The 10-year framework could cut Lower Basin deliveries by up to 3 million acre-feet through 2036, officials said.
- On Friday, the Bureau of Reclamation proposed a 10-year plan requiring Arizona, California, and Nevada to reduce Colorado River water usage, aiming to stave off crisis in the beleaguered waterway.
- Years of overuse combined with a record-dry winter tipped reservoirs to combined record lows, forcing federal intervention after state-level negotiations deadlocked, though the proposal temporarily spares Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming.
- The framework authorizes annual Lake Powell releases between 5 million and 12 million acre-feet, while the Lower Basin faces cuts up to 3 million acre-feet through 2036, remaining "subject to hydrology."
- More than 40 million Americans rely on the Colorado River, and communities may face higher water prices, increased groundwater reliance, and agricultural production losses from the proposed cuts.
- Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum stated the framework "provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions" while preserving consensus opportunities, with water management decisions occurring every two years through 2036.
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38 Articles
Arizona facing deep Colorado River cuts under ‘unacceptable’ federal plan
Federal regulators will drastically reduce Colorado River allocations to Lower Basin states, including Arizona, leaving Upper Basin states relatively unscathed. The post Arizona facing deep Colorado River cuts under ‘unacceptable’ federal plan first appeared on Arizona Capitol Times.
The federal proposal opens the door to historic supply cuts and anticipates a legal battle between states
Federal government implements 10-year Colorado River plan after states fail to find deal
Federal water managers on Friday announced a 10-year plan to manage the critical Colorado River that will require near-constant negotiation between the seven states and other water users in the river basin.
Trump administration allows smaller water releases from Lake Powell under new Colorado River plan
The federal government released details of how it plans to operate the Colorado River system and its major reservoirs, including Lake Powell and Lake Mead, on Friday.
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