All articles tagged with #colorado river
Amid a record Western drought, experts warn the Colorado River’s 10-year flow may dip below the compact’s tripwire of 82.5 million acre-feet by October, risking years of litigation at the Supreme Court over how water should be allocated among seven basin states, with potential steep cuts affecting Colorado’s Front Range, downstream communities, tribes, and Mexico depending on the ruling and ongoing negotiations.
A sudden Grand Canyon flash flood stranded a group of hikers in the canyon’s deepest, narrow walls, forcing them to shelter beneath a rock-face waterfall as rocks and debris rained down; rescuers worked along the Colorado River, highlighting the life-threatening risks of extreme canyon weather.
Arizona faces about a 30% cut in Colorado River water in 2027–28 under a federal plan as Lake Mead and Lake Powell hit record lows, risking the nation’s winter greens since Yuma County grows the majority of U.S. leafy greens. The reductions could force farmers to fallow land, shift crops, and drive up prices for cities, dairies, and food manufacturers, with broader implications for tribes, industries, and the regional economy.
A federal plan to trim Colorado River water use by about 1.25 million acre-feet annually for the next two years will force California, Nevada, and Arizona to take mandatory cuts while other states may voluntarily reduce, intensifying uncertainty for cities, farmers, and tribes across seven states as reservoirs fall to record lows and drought persists, with communities like Cave Creek facing continued growth limits and farmers delaying plantings.
Nevada filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department alleging the new Colorado River plan imposes heavy cuts on the Lower Basin (including Nevada) and was enacted with flawed procedures, failing to adequately consider the impact on Nevada’s people and economy and not mandating similar cuts for Upper Basin states. Arizona is still weighing its response, with California and other partners having pushed for a shared solution. The plan could trim more than 70% of Nevada’s allocation and allows larger reductions after 2028, while a temporary framework through 2028 was intended to ease cuts. Analysts say the suit could slow urgent, short-term fixes but is unlikely to reach the Supreme Court soon.
Nevada filed the first lawsuit opposing the Trump administration’s plan to force about a 20% cut in Colorado River water deliveries to Nevada, Arizona, and California for two years, with potential larger reductions later to protect the river’s depleted reservoirs. The state argues the plan violates the National Environmental Policy Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Law of the River, and would devastate Southern Nevada’s economy and water supply. While California and Arizona share concerns, four upstream states are not required to cut this round; Nevada says it remains open to negotiation but seeks a court halt to the plan.
Nevada filed a lawsuit against a federal plan requiring cuts to Colorado River water use by Nevada and two other states, arguing the plan violates river rules and ignores the economic impact on southern Nevada, including Las Vegas, as the river faces a potential collapse.
Federal planners have moved forward with a Colorado River plan that would sharply cut water for Arizona, California, and Nevada, with Phoenix and Tucson hardest hit. Arizona’s 1980 statute requiring legislative approval for interstate agreements could force a special session to ratify or modify related deals, though experts say the federal plan would proceed regardless of approval. Lawmakers could shape the outcome by approving a three-state deal to share reductions and by tweaking Arizona groundwater rules to adapt to less river water, but they cannot unilaterally block the federal plan.
Nevada filed a federal lawsuit in Nevada challenging the Trump administration’s Colorado River operating plan, which could reduce the state’s water allocation by as much as 71% annually (up to 213,556 acre-feet over 10 years). Nevada argues the plan unlawfully curtails its share and would inflict devastating economic and environmental harm, asking for an injunction until federal documents reflect the toll on Southern Nevada’s economy. The suit comes as federal water cuts—unprecedented without a basin-wide agreement—face potential participation from California and Arizona, with Upper Basin states largely spared; experts say the legal path could take years and Lake Mead’s levels are projected to drop further.
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.
Federal officials unveiled a two-year plan to cut water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually across California, Nevada and Arizona, with Arizona facing the largest reductions; upstream states Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico are not facing cuts for now, and Mexico will also reduce its intake under a treaty. The action comes as the Colorado River’s supplies remain stressed and Lake Mead and Lake Powell reach historic low levels, with the current sharing rules expiring in October and longer-term negotiations ongoing.
The Bureau of Reclamation released a two-year operating plan for the Colorado River that does not mandate cuts in Upper Basin states like Utah, but requires sizable reductions in the Lower Basin (Arizona, California, Nevada) and Mexico to address persistent drought and keep Lake Powell (and Lake Mead) from falling further. Powell's target elevation is raised to 3,510 feet with initial releases of about 6–7 million acre-feet for the 2027 water year and adjustments to stay above that level; Flaming Gorge inflows will be prioritized to support Powell; a new Federally Managed Water Resources Pool at Lake Mead will offset some obligations; the plan includes a 10-year framework to push for a consensus among all seven states and Mexico. Upper Basin states have a voluntary path to save up to 200,000 acre-feet per year, while no mandatory cuts are imposed now; treat the plan as a bridge to a long-term agreement, with potential legal challenges looming from Arizona and others.
The federal Bureau of Reclamation announced a two-year plan (through 2028) to cut Colorado River deliveries by about 1.25 million acre-feet per year across the Lower Basin, with Arizona taking the largest share (roughly 760,000 acre-feet annually) and California and Nevada also facing reductions. The plan aims to keep Lake Powell’s levels above 3,510 feet and will be revisited every two years, relying on a mix of mandatory cuts and voluntary water-saving measures while leaving Upper Basin states out of this round.
Lake Powell, the nation’s second-largest reservoir, has fallen to a record-low water level of about 3,519.8 feet, with Lake Mead also at a historic low (roughly 1,039.83 feet); projections show Mead could dip below 1,110 feet by 2028 and Powell near the minimum power pool (about 3,490 feet) by 2027. Seven states and roughly 35–40 million people rely on the Colorado River, as drought, climate change, and heavy use tighten supplies. The Interior Department proposed cutbacks of up to 3 million acre-feet per year, a plan facing pushback from state officials such as Arizona’s governor.
Lake Powell, the United States’ second-largest reservoir, dropped to a record low of 3,519.91 feet, edging past the previous record and leaving it about 30 feet from the dam’s minimum power pool; Lake Mead has also hit new lows, highlighting a long-running Colorado River drought driven by climate change and heavy water use. Powell and Mead store roughly 60% of the basin’s water and power the region, prompting federal plans for water cuts across seven states in coming days, while El Niño could bring limited relief but won’t reverse years of drought.