Federal Plan Proposes Steep Colorado River Cuts for Arizona, California, Nevada
On Friday, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation unveiled a decade-long management strategy for the Colorado River, which includes proposed water allocation cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada. By 2028, reductions in Lower Basin allocations could reach as much as 3 million acre-feet, with an annual loss of 1.5 million acre-feet in both 2027 and 2028. Specifically, Arizona would see a decrease of 760,000 acre-feet, California 440,000 acre-feet, and Nevada 50,000 acre-feet. Meanwhile, Upper Basin states would implement voluntary conservation efforts. This plan comes after the expiration of interim guidelines from 2007 and 2019, amid stalled negotiations. Andrea Travnicek remarked that it offers a balance of flexibility and predictability, while Arizona's Department of Water Resources deemed the cuts "unacceptable." The lack of a seven-state agreement increases the risk of litigation.
Key facts
- Bureau of Reclamation released a 10-year management plan for the Colorado River on Friday.
- The plan proposes cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada, with potential reductions up to 3 million acre feet beyond 2028.
- For 2027-2028, Lower Basin could lose 1.5 million acre feet annually, with Arizona losing 760,000, California 440,000, and Nevada 50,000.
- Upper Basin states (Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming) would face voluntary conservation measures.
- Interim guidelines from 2007 and 2019 expire in 2027; negotiations for a new agreement have stalled.
- The river provides water to 35-40 million people across seven states, 30 tribes, and two Mexican states.
- Historical average flow is 14.7 million acre feet, but dropped to 11.2 million between 2020 and 2024.
- Arizona's Department of Water Resources called the cuts 'unacceptable'.
- The plan includes operations updatable every two years and a final environmental impact statement.
- Negotiations are stalled over mandatory vs. voluntary cuts, with potential Supreme Court litigation.
- The Bureau of Reclamation operates Hoover and Glen Canyon dams, forming Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
Entities
Institutions
- Bureau of Reclamation
- Arizona Department of Water Resources
- Colorado Department of Natural Resources
- Western Resource Advocates
- The Nature Conservancy
- Inside Climate News
- Naked Capitalism
Locations
- Arizona
- California
- Nevada
- Colorado
- New Mexico
- Utah
- Wyoming
- Mexico
- Lake Mead
- Lake Powell
- Hoover Dam
- Glen Canyon Dam
- United States
- Southwest