3 Western states agree to cut Colorado River use in breakthrough water pact
California, Arizona and Nevada announced an agreement on Monday to cut their use of the Colorado River by another 14% in exchange for $1.2 billion in federal grants. The landmark agreement, which lasts through 2026, would avert mandatory cuts set by the federal government to keep the crucial Colorado River basin from collapsing in the face of chronic overuse and a long drought exacerbated by climate change.
The 1,450-mile-long Colorado River provides drinking water to 40 million people in seven U.S. states, part of Mexico, and several Native American tribes. It also irrigates 5.5 million acres of productive farmland.
The Interior Department needs to sign off on the pact before it takes effect. Camille Calimlim Touton, commissioner of the Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation, called the agreement "an important step forward toward our shared goal of forging a sustainable path for the basin that millions of people call home."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The three states agreed to reduce their Colorado River consumption by 700,000 acre-feet over the next three years, while local water districts, farm operators, cities, and Native American tribes would cut their usage by 2.3 million acre-feet. An acre-foot is the amount of water used by two to three households in a typical year.
The voluntary cuts are about half of what the federal government said were needed last year, but an exceptionally wet winter and unusually bountiful snow pack gave the seven states that use the Colorado River a reprieve. The two dammed reservoirs on the river, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have risen 7 feet and 26 feet, respectively, since April, after falling to crisis levels in 2022. Lake Mead is now 30% full and Lake Powell 27%.
Arizona, California and Nevada draw their Colorado River allotments from Lake Mead while four Upper Basin states — Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming — use water directly from the river and its tributaries. All seven basin states still have to reach a longer-term arrangement for use of the dwindling Colorado River after 2026. Monday's agreement is "a great start," Jack Schmidt, director of the Utah State University's Center for Colorado River Studies, tells the Los Angeles Times. "It's about 25% of where we ultimately need to get."
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - May 4, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - reflections in the pond, riding shotgun, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 high-caliber cartoons about Kristi Noem shooting her puppy
Cartoons Artists take on the rainbow bridge, a farm upstate, and more
By The Week US Published
-
The Week Unwrapped: Why is the world running low on blood?
Podcast Scientists believe universal donor blood is within reach – plus, the row over an immersive D-Day simulation, and an Ozempic faux pas
By The Week Staff Published
-
8 looming climate tipping points that imperil our planet
The Explainer New reports detail the thresholds we may be close to crossing
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Costa Rica's renewable energy success could be under threat
Under the radar Central American nation generates nearly all its electricity from renewable sources but climate change is bringing huge challenges
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is cloud seeding and did it cause Dubai's severe rainfall?
The Explainer The future is flooded
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Ottawa climate talks: can global plastic problem be solved?
In the spotlight Nations aim to draft world's first treaty on plastic pollution, but resistance from oil- and gas-producing countries could limit scope
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why curbing methane emissions is tricky in fight against climate change
The Explainer Tackling the second most significant contributor to global warming could have an immediate impact
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published