States Living Off Depleted Colorado River All Agree to Landmark Water Cuts

A view of the Colorado River from the Navajo Bridge in Marble Canyon, Ariz., on Aug. 31, 2022. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

California, Arizona, and Nevada have come together in a plan to protect the Colorado River Basin and reduce their water use from the river to save it from current drought conditions over the next three years, the southwestern states announced on Monday.

The southwestern states have agreed to cut at least 3 million acre-feet of water through 2026—a significant 10 percent cut to the states’ Colorado River allocation—and would be split up among farmers, tribes, and cities who are working with the federal government on short-term payments in exchange for water savings.

The river supplies water to 40 million people across seven U.S. states, parts of Mexico, and more than two dozen Native American tribes.

Christy Jackman, who has a well on her property, provides water for horses in Rio Verde Foothills, Ariz., on Feb. 23, 2023. The area in the Rio Verde Foothills has never had running water and there is a dwindling supply from the Colorado River, as a decades-long drought bites the American West. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

California, the state that has the largest water consumption from the Colorado River, will see reductions up to 1.6 million acre-feet through 2026. Gov. Gavin Newsom is leading such initiatives, which he has blamed on climate change.

“The entire Western United States is on the frontlines of climate change—we must work together to address this crisis and the weather extremes between drought and flood,” Newsom said in a statement.

“California has stepped up to make significant cuts to water usage and now, this historic partnership between California and other Lower Basin states will help maintain critical water supply for millions of Americans as we work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System for decades to come.”

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said the deal provides a way to “build our reservoirs back up in the near-term,” but added that there is still work to be done to address the long-term effects of climate change and overuse from the exploding population.

“From here, our work must continue to take action and address the long-term issues of climate change and overallocation to ensure we have a sustainable Colorado River for all who rely upon it” Hobbs said in a statement.

While Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo praised the agreement, emphasizing the teamwork between states to achieve this plan.

“Nevada has long been a leader in regional water conservation efforts, and we’re pleased to continue leading through this agreement with other Lower Basin States,” Lombardo said in a statement.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland praised the progress made between the Biden-Harris administration and state officials in the efforts to protect the stability and sustainability of the Colorado River System now and into the future.

“There are 40 million people, seven states, and 30 Tribal Nations who rely on the Colorado River Basin for basic services such as drinking water and electricity. Today’s announcement is a testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to working with states, Tribes, and communities throughout the West to find consensus solutions in the face of climate change and sustained drought,” Haaland said in a statement.

The Colorado River has been in crisis for years due to a multi-decade drought in the West, which some scientists believe has likely intensified due to climate change, as well as rising demand and overuse. Those combined pressures have sent water levels at crucial reservoirs along the river to unprecedented lows, though they have rebounded somewhat thanks to heavy precipitation and deep snowpack this winter.

Snow covered peaks near the headwaters of the Colorado River are illuminated by a beam of sunlight outside of the town of Winter Park, Colo., on March 26, 2023. The 1,450-mile-long Colorado River supplies many western states and cities at lower elevations with water needed to fill reservoirs such as Lake Powell and Lake Mead. JASON CONNOLLY/AFP via Getty Images

In recent years, the river’s woes have forced the federal government to cut some water allocations and offer up billions of dollars to pay farmers, cities, and others to cut back. But key water officials don’t see those efforts as being enough to prevent the system from collapsing.

Water officials from California said they were pleased with the outcome of the lower basin states going back to the table.

“California and our partners in Arizona and Nevada have developed a plan to perform better and protect the Colorado River system than either action alternative identified in the current [federal proposal] released last month by Reclamation,” California’s lead Colorado River negotiator JB Hamby said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report