Federal plan trims Colorado River deliveries for Arizona, California and Nevada

The Interior Department announced a ten-year framework that would impose the largest mandatory cuts to date on Arizona, California and Nevada, reducing their Colorado River withdrawals by as much as 3 million acre-feet per year through 2036, subject to water-flow conditions. The proposal, crafted by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, does not require immediate reductions for the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming.

It also allows the release of between 5 million and 12 million acre-feet from Lake Powell each year. Water-management choices will be revisited every two years, giving the basin flexibility to respond to changing drought conditions. The cuts could raise water prices, increase reliance on groundwater, and force agricultural and municipal users to adopt new conservation measures. Federal officials expect to finalize the plan within days as the region grapples with record-low reservoir levels.