Arizona, California and Nevada unveil a temporary Colorado River water-saving plan through 2028 as negotiations stall and reservoirs decline.
California, Nevada and Arizona have moved to shore up the Colorado River with a temporary water-saving plan, betting that short-term conservation can buy time while broader negotiations remain stuck.
The three states say they will cut back significantly through 2028. aiming to save up to 1 million acre-feet of Colorado River water.. The proposal is designed to build on reductions the states had already announced, with additional cuts expected from Mexico.. Together. the governments are targeting total proposed savings of 3.2 million acre-feet. an amount described as enough water to serve more than 25 million people for a year.
“We have kind of a crisis situation that this past winter has created. ” Arizona’s lead negotiator Tom Buschatzke said. framing the effort as a practical response to worsening conditions after the driest winter on record.. In the absence of a longer-term agreement on how the river should be shared. he said the plan is meant as a short-term fix.
Already, federal officials have been adjusting how the system is managed. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the report stated, plans to release more water and earlier than usual into Lake Powell, one of the two biggest reservoirs on the river, to help keep its hydropower operating amid depletion.
The three-state proposal still needs approval from federal officials and state lawmakers, but the states describe it as ambitious and far-reaching, with benefits for the wider river basin. They are also leaning on the idea that coordinated action now can prevent emergency-style decisions later.
The Colorado River supports tens of millions of people across the western U.S.. and beyond, and the report emphasized how many interests depend on it.. Farmers use the water for irrigation across large agricultural areas.. In addition, utilities rely on the river for hydropower, with the report noting that about 155 utilities depend on it.
A key complication is timing.. Some of the existing rules governing the water-sharing arrangement are set to expire this year. and negotiations among the states have stalled.. The report said it has been about four months since the states held substantive talks. while the Upper Basin states—Utah. Colorado. Wyoming and New Mexico—have suggested that a mediator is needed.
While talks remain uncertain, the Bureau of Reclamation is also moving forward with contingency planning in case the states do not reach consensus in time. The dual track—state negotiations on one side and federal backup planning on the other—underscores how close the system is to a decision point.
Under the plan from the Lower Basin, Nevada and Arizona would take about one-third less water than they are entitled to annually from Lake Mead along the states’ border. California, which holds the largest and most senior water rights, would reduce its use by about 13%.
How those reductions translate into impacts on specific customers has not been fully mapped out yet. though the states say the changes will be in place by August.. For example. the report highlighted that the Central Arizona Project delivers much of Arizona’s share through a long canal system to millions of people. using a priority system that can affect farmers. cities. tribes and industry.
Because most Colorado River water is used for agriculture, the report pointed to the agricultural ripple effects already tied to the river’s reliability. It cited the Imperial Irrigation District as the largest single user and linked the region to the production of winter vegetables.
In Southern California, the Metropolitan Water District—which supplies water to millions—relies on the river for a portion of its supply. Board member Mark Gold, the report stated, said reducing reliance would help stave off worse scenarios, though he warned that risk remains.
The report also noted that the Lower Basin plan depends on state and federal funding and may involve a range of water-saving measures. These can include farmers leaving fields dry or replacing water-intensive crops such as alfalfa with drought-tolerant alternatives.
In cities and businesses, the report said reduced supplies could contribute to higher water bills.. That possibility points to the broader political and economic challenge: conserving water on paper often turns into real costs for households. utilities. and major water users—especially when reductions must occur quickly.
Long-term drivers behind the crisis are not new, the report emphasized.. Chronic overuse. drought. and rising temperatures linked to climate change mean there is less water now than what was allocated to states more than a century ago.. With that imbalance, even well-intentioned plans may struggle unless they are paired with sustained coordination.
The health of two key indicators—Lake Powell and Lake Mead—remains central to the stakes described in the report.. Both reservoirs have been declining over time, and if they fall below certain levels, the consequences extend beyond water delivery.. The report explained that hydropower production could come to a halt and water may not be delivered to downstream users.
As part of the broader effort to keep the system operating. Reclamation recently announced plans to release as much as one-third of the water in Flaming Gorge reservoir upstream of Lake Powell to help ensure hydropower can continue.. The hydropower infrastructure associated with Glen Canyon Dam, the report stated, serves more than 350,000 homes.
Reclamation officials said they are reviewing the Lower Basin’s proposal while still emphasizing that they are looking for a broader agreement.. That balancing act reflects a familiar pattern in water negotiations: short-term measures may prevent immediate system strain. but they also raise the stakes for a lasting framework.
Colorado’s lead negotiator. Becky Mitchell. said the Lower Basin plan is a good first step but does not do enough to protect Lake Powell.. Meanwhile. the report described friction between the basins. noting that Upper Basin states want Lower Basin states to commit to avoiding litigation. a prospect they indicated is unlikely.
The differences, the report stated, have sharpened calls for renewed collaboration, including the help of a mediator. Even with progress from the Lower Basin states, the report quoted Mitchell describing the need for more action to protect the Colorado River system now and into the future.
In the broader picture. the seven states have been wrangling over who should reduce water use and by how much during a drought that has lasted more than two decades.. The report also noted that recently. Upper Basin states agreed to a federal plan to send nearly one-third of their annual water use to Flaming Gorge to protect Lake Powell. while water users with long-standing rights are cutting their use earlier in the season than usual—some receiving only a small share of annual allocations.
Not everyone sees the latest move as the end of the story.. Kevin Moran of the Environmental Defense Fund. the report stated. said he is hopeful the water-reduction pledge can act as a catalyst for cooperation. arguing that the Colorado River is effectively “tanking” and that the urgency demands strong. collaborative solutions to protect the river’s health.
Colorado River plan Arizona Nevada California cuts Lake Mead Lake Powell water conservation water sharing agreement