Federal Water-Cut Plan Deepens Uncertainty for Colorado River Communities and Farms
A new federal strategy to trim Colorado River usage threatens additional cuts for towns like Cave Creek and raises doubts for farmers across the Southwest.
On Phoenix’s outskirts, the town of Cave Creek depends almost wholly on the Colorado River, prompting officials to cap development, reactivate dormant wells and negotiate water agreements. Mayor Robert Morris warns that the recent federal blueprint, which mandates a combined 1.25 million acre-feet cut for California, Nevada and Arizona, may still fall short of averting a shortfall. Reservoirs such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell have reached historic lows, and eight other Bureau of Reclamation lakes report their lowest levels in three decades.
Nevada has filed a lawsuit against the Interior Department and the Bureau of Reclamation, claiming the cuts could jeopardize basic water needs in the Las Vegas area. Agricultural producers, including Arizona Farm Bureau president John Boelts and tribal farmer Ray Martinez, are delaying planting decisions as they grapple with uncertain water supplies and the long-term viability of crops like lettuce and alfalfa. The drought, compounded by a severe snow deficit, is expected to persist despite a potential El Niño surge later this year.
Why it matters
The plan could limit water for millions and disrupt agriculture across the western United States.
In this story
