Federal Officials Approve Colorado River Water Conservation Plan by California, Arizona, Nevada

States pledge to conserve an additional 3 million acre feet of water by end of 2026, reducing pressure on key reservoirs Lake Mead and Lake Powell, in exchange for $1.2 billion in federal funding.

California, Arizona, and Nevada have struck a voluntary agreement to conserve an additional 3 million acre-feet of water from the Colorado River by the end of 2026, which has been approved by federal officials, effectively reducing pressure on key reservoirs Lake Mead and Lake Powell. This change is expected to stabilize the river basin in the coming years.
The U.S. Department of the Interior has noted significant improvements in conditions on the Colorado River, thereby lowering the risk of reaching critically low water elevations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the river's two main reservoirs.
The plan, which presents a shift in negotiations from previous years and could spur further cooperation, includes conservation methods such as water efficiency measures and farming adjustments. California is set to bear more than half of the total cutbacks.
The agreement from the states comes after the federal government earlier this year released potential strategies that would have enforced cuts on the three states. The threat of the government enforcing cuts led to the states developing their own voluntary plan. The federal government is set to officially accept this arrangement.
Though some critics argue the proposal fails to address long-term challenges to the system, proponents view the commitment to the conservation plan as a stepping-stone towards addressing water sharing disputes beyond 2026. A new long-term agreement on sharing the river's water is on the horizon.

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The Salt Lake Tribune