The three lower basin states of the Colorado River—California, Nevada, and Arizona—agreed to cut their water usage by 3 million acre-feet through 2026 in a boost to the system’s historically low levels (see chart). The proposal, which comes after a historic winter of precipitation provided some relief, caps a year of negotiations between a federal agency and the impacted states. The Colorado River supports roughly 40 million people across seven states, including the upper basin’s Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico (see map).
A century of overallocation has depleted the river, with reservoirs Lake Mead and Lake Powell edging toward “dead pool” status, where reduced flows can’t pass through dams. Some experts claim system stabilization requires an annual reduction of 4 million acre-feet, or a 25% cut overall. All seven states approved the latest agreement ahead of a May 30 deadline triggering federal mandatory cuts, the first ever. Negotiations are expected to begin later this year on a longer-term deal to reach system stability. See a timeline of the Colorado River’s history here. |
