U.S. Cuts Colorado River Water for Arizona, California and Nevada

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.

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

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

Following years of back and forth between the seven states that share the Colorado River and the federal government, the Trump administration has settled on a plan for the next two years.

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