Nevada sues to challenge Trump administration's Colorado River plan

The state of Nevada is suing to challenge the Trump administration's new plan for dealing with water shortages along the Colorado River.

In a major escalation of tensions, Nevada’s water managers are bringing the fight over the Colorado River to the courtroom. Experts have warned against it for years.

Federal officials announced sharp water cuts for the next two years on Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River.

While the cuts are considerable, they are better than the worst-case scenario the federal government proposed in July.

US imposes deep Colorado River water cuts to California, Nevada and Arizona  Reuters

Arizona’s share of the river will shrink by a third, likely increasing reliance on groundwater and raising pressure on agriculture.

Arizona, California and Nevada will see major reductions in water deliveries from the drought-afflicted Colorado River under a new framework.

The federal government has unveiled its short-term plans for Colorado River water cuts from California, Arizona and Nevada — issuing a plan that’s largely in line with what the states themselves have proposed and sparing them from more dramatic cuts for the time being. The Interior Department announced Friday that it w

A view over Lake Mead shows how far the lake's level has fallen. AP Photo/Ty ONeil In August 2026 the nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, both on the Colorado River, hit their lowest levels since they first began to be filled in 1936 and 1963, respectively. The federal government and the seven C