Trump administration readying a plan to impose Colorado River water cuts on Western states

"After months of pressing Western states to come to their own agreement, the Trump administration told their leaders it's drawing up a 10-year plan for dealing with water shortages on the Colorado River. The river is a major water source for Southern California and much of the Southwest, but its largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, are severely depleted and their levels continue to drop."

"News of the federal government's preliminary plan surfaced Wednesday during a in Phoenix. Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said federal officials informed state water managers they are developing a "10-year framework" with specific rules requiring water reductions that would be reassessed every two years."

"So far, negotiators for California, Arizona and Nevada have offered to use roughly 1.6 million acre-feet less annually over the next two years. But Buschatzke said the Trump administration's plan would allow for mandatory cutbacks of up to 3 million acre-feet per year in the three states - as much as 40% of their combined allotments."

"Buschatzke said the idea is that the proposal can govern water sharing for 2027 and 2028. After that there would be new rounds of negotiations to readjust cuts every two years."

Reservoir levels on the Colorado River are dropping, threatening water supplies for California and six other states. After months of urging Western states to reach their own agreement, the Trump administration informed state water leaders that it is developing a 10-year framework for water shortages. The framework would include specific rules requiring water reductions, with reassessments every two years. Negotiators from California, Arizona, and Nevada have proposed about 1.6 million acre-feet less annually for the next two years. The federal plan could allow mandatory cutbacks of up to 3 million acre-feet per year for those states, potentially reaching about 40% of their combined allotments. The proposal is intended to govern sharing for 2027 and 2028, followed by new negotiations to adjust cuts.

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