How Federal Water Plan Affects Your State, Lake Mead, Powell
Arizona, California and Nevada face major water cuts as officials seek to protect reservoirs and hydropower across the West.
The federal government has established a new plan to manage the dwindling Colorado River, which will result in water cuts for three Western states - Arizona, California, and Nevada - while seeking collaboration from four others. According to the Department of the Interior (DOI), the new operating guidelines will reduce Colorado River deliveries to the three states by a total of 1.25 million acre-feet per year starting in 2027 and 2028.
Arizona will experience the largest reduction at 760,000 acre-feet annually, or 27.1 percent of its basic allocation of 2.8 million acre-feet. California will lose 440,000 acre-feet per year, equivalent to 10 percent of its 4.4 million acre-foot allocation, and Nevada will see a reduction of 50,000 acre-feet per year, or about 16.7 percent of its 300,000 acre-foot allocation.
The Lower Basin states are also expected to implement at least an additional 700,000 acre-feet of voluntary conservation and storage over the two-year period. Upper Basin states, including Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, will not face mandatory water cuts under the new guidelines but are asked to work on an agreement with Lower Basin states and tribal governments to manage water from federal reservoirs to protect Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell.
Lake Powell, located near the Arizona-Utah border, is currently at critically low levels, and officials plan to limit releases from the reservoir to maintain its elevation at or above 3,510 feet. The new operating rules aim to protect the dam and preserve its ability to generate hydroelectric power for six Western states while maintaining water deliveries downstream.
The decline in Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the largest U.S. reservoir by capacity, has been alarming due to years of drought and heavy demand on the Colorado River. The new guidelines are set to take effect for the 2027 and 2028 operating years, with the possibility of additional reductions if water conditions worsen. The framework prioritizes voluntary agreements and cooperation between states, tribes, and Mexico, while preserving federal authority to respond to worsening conditions.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
