Feds finalize long-awaited Colorado River plan with reservoirs on life support

Feds finalize long-awaited Colorado River plan with reservoirs on life support The Trump administration has issued a final operating guideline for the Colorado River covering 2027 and 2028, ending years of deadlocked talks among the seven basin states and the federal government. The framework largely mirrors proposals previously put forward by the Lower Basin states of Nevada, California and Arizona. Under the plan, Nevada must relinquish roughly one‑sixth of its Colorado River allotment—about 50,000 acre‑feet—over the next two years. Collectively, the southern states will enact cuts totaling 1.25 million acre‑feet. The Lower Basin states have agreed to voluntarily conserve and store at least 700,000 acre‑feet of water during the two‑year window to bolster the system. Nevada already has a head start on this effort; a $16.25 million federal allocation will help the state retain 50,000 acre‑feet in Lake Mead this year to satisfy the requirement. “These decisions supply a h2o absorption strategy for Basin stakeholders to respond to the prolonged drought by incorporating flexible tools and voluntary actions portion leaving country for statement agreements,” Assistant Interior Secretary of Water and Science Andrea Travnicek said in a statement. This is simply a processing story. Check backmost for updates.