Aug 21 (Reuters) – The U.S. government on Friday finalized a plan to slash water supplies to California, Nevada and Arizona to manage the drought-stricken Colorado River.
The three so-called lower basin states will take around a 21 percent reduction in water from the river in 2027 and 2028, but potential cuts could nearly double in following years, according to the plan signed by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.
Arizona and Nevada have said any plan to double the cuts after 2028 would devastate their economies. Arizona has threatened to sue the federal government if it imposed these potential cuts as part of the new 10-year plan.
Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming, the upper basin states, face no mandatory cuts under the plan. The Colorado River provides water to one in 10 Americans, irrigates land producing 15% of U.S. food output and generates power for 6 million people in seven states.
In three years of failed negotiations between the seven states, upper basin states refused to take cuts, arguing they face automatic cuts in water supply due to the severe drought impacting the U.S. West.
In line with a May 1 proposal made by the lower basin states, their water allocation will be reduced by a combined 1.6 million acre feet per year in both 2027 and 2028.
The reductions consist of 1.25 MAF per year in mandatory cuts and an agreement by the three states to conserve 700,000 MAF over the two years to reach combined water savings in the two-year period of 3.2 MAF.
However, annual mandatory cuts to the three states could almost double to 3.0 MAF per year if needed to maintain critical reservoir levels following the first two-year operating period.
Any lawsuits over those potential cuts could mean more years of uncertainty.
“But this is a bridge, not a permanent solution,” JB Hamby, Colorado River Commissioner for California, said in a statement. “California, Arizona, and Nevada have shown that states can compromise, make difficult decisions, and reduce water use when the river demands it. But three states cannot carry the responsibility of all seven.”
(Reporting by Nichola Groom in Los Angeles and Andrew Hay in New Mexico; Editing by David Gregorio)
