The U.S. Interior Department has finalized significant water allocation cuts from the Colorado River for Arizona, California, and Nevada, effective for 2027 and 2028. These reductions aim to address severe water scarcity and the ongoing drought in the Western United States. The three states in the Lower Basin will collectively reduce their water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually, with the possibility of even larger cuts depending on future conditions. This measure comes amidst the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, impacting various sectors including agriculture, industry, hydropower, and tens of millions of people.
Under the finalized plan, Arizona will face the largest reduction, cutting 760,000 acre-feet of water, representing about a 27% decrease for the state. California's allocation will be reduced by 440,000 acre-feet, approximately a 10% cut, while Nevada will see a 50,000 acre-foot reduction, or about 16%. These specific allocations are based on a voluntary agreement negotiated by the three states in May. States in the Upper Basin—Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico—do not currently face mandatory cuts.
In addition to the mandated reductions, the Interior Department's operating guidelines encourage the three states to voluntarily conserve and store at least 700,000 acre-feet of water over the two-year period to further protect the system. While these cuts are substantial, they are less severe than the worst-case scenario previously proposed by the federal government in July, which suggested cuts of up to 3 million acre-feet per year. Officials, including Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke, have expressed a degree of relief that the finalized cuts, though significant, reflect earlier discussions and avoid a more draconian outcome.
