AZ, CA, NV Plan 1 Million Acre-Foot Colorado River Cuts

Arizona, California and Nevada announced a plan this month to reduce their use of Colorado River water by up to 1 million acre-feet through 2028, a short-term measure aimed at bolstering depleted reservoirs after the driest winter on record.

The Lower Basin states' proposal adds to previously announced cuts by the three states and Mexico, for total savings of 3.2 million acre-feet, equivalent to the annual water needs of more than 25 million people. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has already begun releasing additional water earlier than usual into Lake Powell, one of the river's two largest reservoirs, to maintain hydropower generation. The plan requires approval from federal officials and state lawmakers.

"We have kind of a crisis situation that this past winter has created," said Tom Buschatzke, Arizona's lead negotiator. "We need to do everything we can, and that's what our plan does, to find a short-term fix."

Under the proposal, Nevada and Arizona would reduce their annual entitlements from Lake Mead by about one-third, while California, holder of the largest senior water rights, would cut usage by about 13 percent. Implementation details remain under development but are...