U.S. Plan Would Cut Colorado River Use In Three Lower Basin States

The Bureau of Reclamation proposed a 10-year framework on Friday, July 31, 2026, that would require Colorado River water cuts by Arizona, California and Nevada to curb falling reservoir levels and protect deliveries.^[1]

The plan would allow collective reductions of up to 3 million acre-feet for the three Lower Basin states through 2036, with the exact cuts tied to hydrologic conditions.^[1] It sets a range of 5 million to 12 million acre-feet for annual releases from Lake Powell and requires management decisions every two years.^[1] The proposal as written would not impose mandatory cuts on Upper Basin states Colorado, Utah, New Mexico and Wyoming.^[1] Federal officials cited record-low levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead and warned Glen Canyon Dam turbines may not be able to generate power by year-end.^[1]

Lake Powell and Lake Mead have fallen to record lows, a condition that prompted the Bureau to seek a multi-year framework to stabilize reservoir operations and avoid deeper shortages.^[1] The biennial review schedule in the proposal is meant to let managers adjust releases as hydrology changes, rather than lock in a single plan for the decade.^[1]

The proposal now enters a period of review and negotiation with state and tribal water managers before any final actions are taken.^[1]

1. CBS News