Aug 15, 06:51 PM

U.S. Extends Tier 1 Colorado River Shortage, Arizona Hit by 18% Cut

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation said Friday it will keep the Colorado River in a Tier 1 shortage through 2026, extending mandatory cutbacks for Arizona, Nevada and Mexico for a third consecutive year as a historic drought grips the Southwest. Under the 2025 water-year schedule, Arizona will forfeit 18% of its annual river allocation, or about 512,000 acre-feet. Nevada’s allocation remains 7% below its normal 300,000 acre-feet, while Mexico will lose 5%, or roughly 80,000 acre-feet. California, which holds senior water rights, again avoids reductions. The shortage designation reflects continued low levels in the system’s two major reservoirs. Lake Mead is forecast to sit at roughly 1,055.9 feet on 1 January 2026, more than 20 feet below the trigger for shortage conditions, while Lake Powell is projected at 3,538.5 feet—48 feet above the threshold needed to keep hydroelectric turbines operating. Federal officials warned that emergency measures alone will not secure the river’s future. The seven basin states have until mid-November to outline a preliminary consensus on post-2026 operating rules, with a final proposal due by February 2026. Negotiators are weighing deeper conservation targets as climate change reduces flows that supply water to 40 million people and irrigate vast agricultural regions.

#Colorado River #Arizona #Nevada #Mexico #Southwest #California #Lake Mead #Lake Powell

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U.S. Extends Tier 1 Colorado River Shortage, Arizona Hit by 18% Cut

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