US finalizes Colorado River water cuts for lower basin states

The U.S. government has finalized a plan to reduce water allocations from the Colorado River for California, Nevada, and Arizona, addressing the prolonged drought affecting the American West. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum signed the plan on Friday, which mandates a combined reduction of approximately 21 percent for these three lower basin states during 2027 and 2028.

Under the agreement, the states will see their combined water allocation cut by 1.6 million acre-feet per year over the two-year period. This includes 1.25 million acre-feet in mandatory reductions and a voluntary conservation commitment of 700,000 acre-feet across the two years, bringing total savings to 3.2 million acre-feet.

The plan, however, includes provisions for steeper cuts in subsequent years. If critical reservoir levels require it, annual mandatory reductions could nearly double to 3.0 million acre-feet per year after the initial operating period. Arizona and Nevada have warned that such deeper cuts would severely damage their economies, and Arizona has threatened legal action if these potential reductions are imposed.

The upper basin states—Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming—face no mandatory cuts under the plan. They have argued that the severe drought already forces automatic reductions in their water supply, a point of contention that contributed to three years of failed negotiations among all seven states.

The Colorado River is a vital resource, supplying water to one in ten Americans, irrigating land that produces 15 percent of U.S. food output, and generating power for six million people across seven states.

California's Colorado River Commissioner, JB Hamby, called the plan "a bridge, not a permanent solution," acknowledging the compromise reached by the lower basin states while noting that three states cannot bear the responsibility alone. The potential for lawsuits over future cuts could prolong uncertainty for the region.