Landmark deal reached to protect drought-stricken Colorado River.

Arizona, California, and Nevada have proposed a plan to reduce their water use from the drought-stricken Colorado River over the next three years, conserving an additional 3 million acre-feet of water through 2026. The plan would provide federal funding to cities, irrigation districts, and Native American tribes in the three states in exchange for temporarily using less water. The Colorado River provides water to 40 million people in seven states in the U.S. West, parts of Mexico, and more than two dozen Native American tribes. The adoption of the plan is not certain, but it marks a notable step in drawn-out and difficult negotiations between the three states.