Colorado River Water Cuts

The Interior Department’s Bureau of Reclamation proposed a Colorado River management framework that would require Arizona, California and Nevada to reduce withdrawals by as much as 3 million acre-feet a year in the driest conditions. The plan is meant to replace operating rules that expire in 2026, with lower-basin cuts reaching roughly 16% to 20% through 2028. Upper Basin states could contribute up to 200,000 acre-feet through voluntary conservation. The proposal responds to reservoirs that have fallen to levels not seen since 1957.