Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers

Colorado River water cuts and uncertainty loom for cities and farmers across the U.S. West, as a recent federal plan to address the deepening crisis in the river basin does little to alleviate concerns. Cave Creek, a small town near Phoenix, has already had to make water cuts and faces the possibility of further reductions, which could leave the community of 5,000 people without enough water to sustain itself in the future.

The uncertainty extends to seven U.S. states, tribal nations, and Mexico, with farmers deciding which crops to invest in and cities like Phoenix potentially losing municipal and industrial water for the first time. Nevada has also filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, claiming that basic needs in the Las Vegas region will be unmet if the area must absorb planned reductions of up to 70% of its Colorado River water in the next decade.

Brief written by urgent.news from Associated Press's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.