Trump Administration Plans 3 Million Acre-Feet in Colorado River Cuts as 7 States Remain Split
Updated
Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 15
Trump Administration Plans 3 Million Acre-Feet in Colorado River Cuts as 7 States Remain Split
10 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · May 15
Federal officials told Western water managers they are drafting a 10-year Colorado River framework that could impose mandatory cuts of up to 3 million acre-feet a year, with reductions reassessed every two years.
The plan goes far beyond a recent California-Arizona-Nevada offer to conserve about 1.6 million acre-feet annually for 2027 and 2028, reflecting worsening shortages at Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
Seven basin states remain deadlocked over how to share the pain, with downstream states at odds with Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and New Mexico, raising the risk of a court fight.
The Bureau of Reclamation said it has identified preliminary elements of a preferred alternative and is consulting states, tribes and Mexico before a final decision expected this summer.
The dispute stems from a 1922 river-sharing compact that overallocated supplies; since 2000, climate change and chronic overuse have sharply reduced flows across the Southwest.
Can a century-old water law solve a modern crisis, or is it time to rewrite the rules for the Colorado River?
What is the true economic price of saving the Colorado River, and who will ultimately be forced to pay it?
Managing the Colorado River’s Collapse: Drought, Political Gridlock, and the Path to Securing Water for 40 Million Americans
Overview
The Colorado River Basin is in a severe crisis due to historic drought and shrinking water supplies, prompting urgent proposals from federal and state officials to drastically cut water releases and manage the dwindling resource. Despite the urgency, the seven basin states remain deadlocked, unable to agree on a unified plan for water cuts. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s plan for dividing the river’s supply has drawn significant attention and thousands of stakeholder comments, highlighting the complexity and high stakes. This impasse underscores the immediate need for action and the challenges of balancing competing interests in securing the river’s future.