Story perspectives

Interior releases Colorado River cut plan, demands 700,000 acre-feet savings

8/22/2026

Center

Interior Dept Cuts

The U.S. Interior Department released a plan cutting Colorado River deliveries to Arizona, California and Nevada.
The Colorado River Indian Tribes and Gila River Indian Community said the plan excluded them and ignored their water rights.
The department asked lower-basin states to conserve an additional 700,000 acre-feet voluntarily over two years.
Officials said the plan aims to keep Lake Powell above 3,510 feet, avoiding the 3,490-foot level that would halt hydropower.

Left

Interior Dept Cuts

The U.S. Interior Department released a two-year plan cutting Colorado River deliveries to Arizona, California and Nevada.
The cuts jeopardize water affordability for households and increase strain on farms and tribal communities.
Arizona faces the steepest cut—about 760,000 acre-feet, roughly a 27% reduction of its allocation.
Experts warn Phoenix and Tucson water rates could rise as cities turn to costly groundwater and canal projects.

Blindspot

The Colorado River Indian Tribes and the Gila River Indian Community said the operating plan excluded them and ignored their water-right claims.
Within this story's sources, this angle appears mainly in Center-leaning coverage and receives less attention in Left-leaning coverage.

History

Historical Context

Signed in 1922, the Colorado River Compact split the river’s flow, granting the Lower Basin 7.5 million acre-feet annually—later detailed in the 1928 Boulder Canyon Act as 2.8 million for Arizona, 4.4 million for California, and 0.3 million for Nevada. Because the compact ignored tribal claims and assumed higher runoff, today the Interior Department’s plan trims Arizona’s share by 760,000 acre-feet amid drought-driven shortages.

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Interior Dept Cuts

The U.S. Interior Department released a plan cutting Colorado River deliveries to Arizona, California and Nevada.
The Colorado River Indian Tribes and Gila River Indian Community said the plan excluded them and ignored their water rights.
The department asked lower-basin states to conserve an additional 700,000 acre-feet voluntarily over two years.
Officials said the plan aims to keep Lake Powell above 3,510 feet, avoiding the 3,490-foot level that would halt hydropower.

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