California, Arizona, and Nevada Avoid Severe Colorado River Water Cuts
California, Arizona, and Nevada have reached an agreement with federal officials to reduce their Colorado River water usage by at least 3.2 million acre-feet through 2028, according to the Los Angeles Times. This plan, which avoids harsher cuts initially proposed by the Trump administration, will see California reducing its water use by 12%, Arizona by 31%, and Nevada by 28%. The agreement comes as the Colorado River faces a historic water crisis, with reservoirs like Lake Mead and Lake Powell at record-low levels. The federal government is also providing $450 million in funding for water-saving initiatives, sourced from the Inflation Reduction Act. However, the plan does not include water cuts for upstream states like Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico.