California, Nevada and Arizona announce temporary plan to save water from the Colorado River

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Absent a longer-term agreement on how to share an important but dwindling water resource in the western United States, three states say they will make significant cuts in a short-term agreement to shore up water reserves. driest winter on record.

Arizona, California and Nevada issued a statement plan This month, to save up to 1 million acre-feet (44 billion cubic feet) of Colorado River water by 2028. This is added to cuts already announced by three states and Mexico, bringing the total proposed savings to 3.2 million acre-feet (139 billion cubic feet), or enough water to serve more than 25 million people annually.

“We’re facing the kind of crisis situation that last winter created,” Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s chief negotiator, said earlier this week. “We must do everything we can to find a short-term solution, and our plan does that.”

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation already says it will release more water and earlier than usual into badly depleted Lake Powell, one of the two largest reservoirs on the river and in the country, to keep hydropower humming.

The plan in Arizona, California and Nevada needs approval from federal officials and state lawmakers. Still, the states described the project as ambitious and far-reaching, benefiting the entire river basin.

The river supports 40 million people in seven U.S. states, two Mexican states and Native American tribes. Farmers also rely on it to irrigate millions of acres of land. And about 155 utilities depend on it for hydropower.

Some of the rules governing the water-sharing agreement expire this year, but negotiations between states have mostly failed. Nearly four months have passed since the important talks. States in the Upper River Basin (Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico) suggested a mediator there is need. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Reclamation is moving forward with a plan in case states cannot reach consensus in time.

Kevin Moran of the Environmental Defense Fund said he hopes the water reduction commitment will be a catalyst for a collaborative solution among states.

“The Colorado River is tanking,” he said. “We are in the 11th hour of needing strong, collaborative solutions to protect the health of the river.”

What cuts are on the table?

Nevada, Arizona, and California form the Lower Basin of the river. Under their proposals, Nevada and Arizona would annually receive about a third less water from Lake Mead, which runs along their state border, than they are entitled to. California, which has the largest and most priority rights over water, will reduce its water use by approximately 13%.

How these cuts will trickle down has yet to be worked out, but states say they will come by August.

The Central Arizona Project manages most of Arizona’s share of transportation through a 336-mile (540-kilometer) canal system to 6 million people in central and southern Arizona. It also has a priority system. Farmers, cities, tribes, and industry may be affected.

Most of the river’s water goes to agriculture. This is evident in the Imperial Irrigation District, the largest single user of river water, where most of the country’s winter vegetables are grown.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, which provides water to 19 million people, gets about 20% of its supply from the river. Board member Mark Gold said reducing reliance on the Colorado River would prevent worse, but there is still a risk.

The Lower Basin plan also depends on state and federal funding. Water-saving measures include farmers leaving fields dry or replacing thirsty crops, such as alfalfa, with drought-tolerant ones.

Decreased supply in cities could contribute to higher water bills for residents and businesses, Gold said.

Why is it being offered now?

Chronic overuse, drought and rising temperatures climate change This means there is less water in the river than was apportioned among the states more than 100 years ago.

Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs, key indicators of the river’s health, are not healthy. Both declined over time. Falling below certain levels means that hydroelectric production stops and water cannot be delivered to downstream users.

The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced plans to release one-third of the water in the Flaming Gorge reservoir above Lake Powell to ensure this doesn’t happen. Hydroelectricity from Glen Canyon Dam, which holds back Lake Powell, serves more than 350,000 homes.

What happens next?

Reclamation officials said they were reviewing Lower Basin’s offer but emphasized they were still seeking a broader agreement.

Becky Mitchell, Colorado’s chief negotiator, said the Lower Basin plan is a good first step but not enough to protect Lake Powell.

Upper Basin states want Lower Basin states to commit to avoiding lawsuits, something that is unlikely.

“While the Lower Division States are making progress, more is needed to protect the Colorado River System now and into the future,” he said in a statement. “These differences highlight the urgent need to reconnect with the help of a mediator.”

Seven states are wrangling over who should reduce water use and by how much during more than two decades of drought.

Recently, Upper Basin states adopted federal officials’ plan to send about one-third of the states’ annual water use to the Flaming Gorge to protect Lake Powell. Water users who have long-standing water rights are also cutting off their water use earlier in the season than usual; some receive only 14% or less of their annual allocation.

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