Arizona, California and Nevada propose Colorado River water cuts through 2028
Updated
Updated · KJZZ · May 2
Arizona, California and Nevada propose Colorado River water cuts through 2028
12 articles · Updated · KJZZ · May 2
The Lower Basin plan would leave 700,000 to 1 million acre-feet annually in the system to protect Lake Powell and Lake Mead, with total reductions exceeding 3.2 million acre-feet.
State leaders cast it as a voluntary bridge to avoid harsher federal cuts, especially to Arizona's Central Arizona Project serving Phoenix and Tucson, after a dry winter sharpened shortage risks.
The proposal still needs federal approval and could help avert lawsuits with Upper Basin states while negotiations continue, potentially with mediation, over a longer-term Colorado River management deal.
With states headed for a legal battle, who will ultimately bear the cost of the West's water crisis?
Can a 100-year-old water law save the Colorado River from a future of permanent drought?
Are the proposed water cuts a real solution or just a temporary fix for a river in decline?
Saving the Colorado River: The 2026 Water Cuts Critical to 40 Million People’s Future
Overview
In 2026, California, Arizona, and Nevada submitted a critical water-saving proposal to address the escalating Colorado River crisis caused by historically dry conditions and record-low reservoir levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell. The plan aims to reduce water use by over 3.2 million acre-feet by 2028 but imposes heavy burdens on agriculture and urban areas, including significant cuts in the Imperial Valley and rising water costs in Arizona cities. The proposal requires federal approval and funding by August 2026, while basin-wide negotiations face deadlock due to Upper Basin states opposing mandatory cuts. Without swift action, risks include Lake Powell reaching dead pool, threatening water supply, hydropower, and regional stability.