Overview
- The Interior Department issued a Record of Decision on Aug. 21 that requires Arizona, California and Nevada to cut a combined 1.25 million acre-feet of Colorado River use in 2027–2028 with Arizona taking the largest share.
- Under the plan Mexico will accept a treaty reduction of 250,000 acre-feet and the federal framework preserves authority to impose bigger cuts if reservoirs worsen.
- Nevada has filed suit challenging the plan’s legal process and modeling and warns the rules could allow extreme water losses for the Las Vegas area if reservoirs continue to fall.
- Lake Mead and Lake Powell are at historic lows with Lake Mead about 26% full and federal thresholds showing that a few more feet of decline could sharply cut Hoover Dam generation.
- States, tribes, utilities and industries are accelerating conservation, groundwater and reuse measures and federal officials are funding turbine and infrastructure work as short-term bridge steps while longer solutions are negotiated.