Southwest Spared From New Federal Cuts on Colorado River Supply

What’s the story? 

• Several Southwestern states are, for now, spared from cutbacks on water supply from the Colorado River after failing to meet a federal deadline to negotiate water reductions. 
• The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation gave the states that get water from the Colorado River Basin from June to mid-August to arrange their own cutbacks, which the states failed to do. Federal officials required cuts of 15% to 30%, which would impact the amount of water pumped out of the river. Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau reported that federal officials will continue to work with the states to reach an agreement. 
• Instead of the federal cuts, the states and Mexico will have reductions based on a plan signed in 2019 to help maintain reservoir levels. This would be the second year in a row of cuts to water consumption as the West endures extreme drought. Arizona will have access to 21% less water annually moving forward, while Nevada’s supply is reduced by 8%, and Mexico’s by 7%. Farmers in each state are expected to be most affected by the water supply reductions. 

Are the cuts necessary?

• The Colorado River Basin provides water to seven states — Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming — and Mexico, supporting 40 million people on top of billions of dollars of agricultural production. The two significant reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have water levels at 26% and 27% capacity. These satellite images of Lake Mead and Lake Powell show the stark decline in water levels in the last two decades:

Lake Powell captured in 1999 and 2021 by NASA Earth Observatory

Lake Mead captured in 2000 and 2022 by NASA Earth Conservatory

• Reservoir levels have been plummeting faster than expected because of the 23 years of megadrought in the region. Experts fear that if the drought continues, the reservoirs will reach "dead pool status," where the water levels are too low to flow downstream.
• The states have to make critical decisions on where to reduce their water usage and whether to prioritize urban areas or agricultural growth. Those who will be impacted still await the official estimates of the river’s future water levels, which will determine their water supply.
• If the states cannot reach an agreement, the federal government could step in and mandate reductions. Officials said cuts could be necessary next year as well to protect the reservoirs and dams of the Colorado River. Next year's reduction could be 20 to 40 times as much water as this year's.
• According to engineers, the dams will no longer be able to generate hydropower if water levels continue to fall. This would make the Western U.S.'s power grid significantly less stable. 

What are they saying?

• General manager of the Central Arizona Project Ted Cooke said it is unacceptable for Arizona to continuously carry a disproportionate burden of these reductions. 
• John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, hoped for more urgency from the U.S. government and believes that despite the dire situation, an agreement between the states to address and tackle the crisis seems unlikely. He said:

“...we haven’t reached the point where every water user on the river accepts that everybody has to be a part of this solution.”

• Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation, Camille Touton, said in regards to further cuts:

“We are taking steps to protect the 40 million people who depend on the Colorado River for their lives and livelihoods…The states collectively have not identified and adopted specific actions of sufficient magnitude that would stabilize the system.”

What do you want to see states do to protect the Colorado River supply?

-Jamie Epstein

(Photo credit: iStock/bloodua)