California and other states tout new Colorado River water-saving plan
Los Angeles Times • • nation
Key Points:
- California, Arizona, and Nevada have announced a new two-year water-saving plan to stabilize the Colorado River through 2028, requiring larger cuts in water use than previous proposals.
- The plan calls for more than 3.2 million acre-feet of water cutbacks, with Arizona reducing usage by 760,000 acre-feet, California by 440,000 acre-feet, and Nevada by 50,000 acre-feet annually.
- This short-term agreement follows deadlocked negotiations with four other states on a long-term water-sharing plan amid critically low reservoir levels, with Lake Mead at 31% capacity and Lake Powell at 24%.
- The Colorado River, supplying water to 35 million people and 5 million acres of farmland, has experienced dramatically reduced flow due to drought and climate change, with this year’s snowpack at just 22% of average.
- Officials emphasize the urgency of quick action to prevent further decline, while expressing hope for a comprehensive agreement involving all seven Colorado River states in the near future.
