Western water agencies pour billions into drought defenses as Colorado River cuts loom
Federal mandates will slash Colorado River deliveries to Arizona, Nevada and California, prompting massive investments in new intakes, recycling plants and other drought-proofing projects.
Mandatory cuts to Colorado River allocations for Arizona, Nevada and California are set to begin as Lake Mead and Lake Powell sit at record lows. In Nevada, the Southern Nevada Water Authority has spent over a billion dollars on a new, lower intake and pumping system that is now in use because the original 1970 intake is no longer submerged. In Arizona, Phoenix plans to open its first advanced water-purification plant, which will treat used water and produce about seven million gallons of recycled water daily.
Experts cite a 26-year megadrought and unprecedented heat as the drivers of a 20% flow decline since 2000, warning that further drops could slash Hoover Dam power output by up to 70%. The situation is described as “crisis-adjacent,” with water prices expected to climb as the region adapts to a drier future.
Why it matters
The cuts threaten water security for 40 million people and could drive up costs and limit growth across the Southwest.
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