US proposes water-use cuts for Colorado River Lower Basin states

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation on Friday released a proposal that would require the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada to cut their Colorado River water use by as much as 3 million acre-feet annually through 2036. The reductions, equivalent to the current combined allocations of Arizona and Nevada, would be adjusted every two years based on basin conditions.

Under the plan, the three states would share half of the cuts according to a pre-existing allocation framework, with the remainder allocated according to priority water rights. The proposal is designed to be flexible, allowing deeper cuts during drier periods while giving the states time to negotiate a longer-term management strategy.

“The Department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.

The initiative follows years of stalled negotiations and a record-low snowpack that has left Lake Mead and Lake Powell at their lowest combined levels since 1957. Federal officials expect binding operating guidelines to be issued by Oct. 1.

State reactions were mixed. Arizona officials described the proposal as flawed, while California officials called it an important milestone but not a final solution. Nevada’s governor said the cuts would be unrealistic and devastating for the state’s water users.

Upper Basin governors—Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming—issued a joint statement expressing encouragement that new guidelines would better reflect existing water supplies, though they continue to review the document.

Experts warned that the cuts could raise water prices, increase reliance on groundwater and leave some agricultural fields unplanted. In Arizona, water-law professor Rhett Larson noted that while the region is not “running out of water,” it is losing access to inexpensive water, leading to higher rates for consumers.

The plan’s implementation details will be worked out by the states, with the federal government expected to provide additional guidance in the coming days.