Colorado River crisis: Federal plan mandates steep cuts for three states

Federal officials have announced mandatory water reductions for Arizona, California, and Nevada over the next two years as the Colorado River continues to face a severe, prolonged drought.

The Bureau of Reclamation's plan requires the three states to collectively cut their water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually. Arizona will bear the brunt of the reductions, while upstream states like Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico are not currently subject to cuts. Under a separate treaty, Mexico will also reduce its intake by 250,000 acre-feet.

Interior Department official Andrea Travnicek noted the region has been in a 26-year drought, emphasizing the need for continued cooperation across the entire basin. The announcement comes as the current rules governing the river are set to expire in October, with the seven basin states still unable to agree on a long-term sharing plan.

The situation has been exacerbated by last winter's record-low snowpack in the basin, adding pressure on agriculture, industry, and wildlife. Years of overuse, combined with drought and rising temperatures, have drained Lake Mead and Lake Powell to their lowest levels since they were first filled.

While negotiators from Arizona acknowledged the collaboration from California and Nevada, they stressed the need for a longer-term solution. California's negotiator called the plan a "bridge" that provides near-term certainty but is not a permanent fix. In Nevada, conservation groups warn that further cuts could slow development in the Las Vegas area, highlighting the deep impact of the river's decline on the region's future.