Southwest Faces Deep Colorado River Cuts as Reservoirs Hit Historic Lows

The U.S. Interior Department released a two-year plan mandating Arizona, California and Nevada to sharply reduce Colorado River water use through 2028 to address record-low reservoir levels, with Arizona facing the largest cuts and California and Nevada also reducing; upper-basin states are not required to cut. The plan aims to stabilize water and power supplies for tens of millions, but could trigger lawsuits as states negotiate longer-term reductions and shared responsibility for the river.