The US government and the Interior Department have released a plan to manage the Colorado River crisis as reservoirs reach record lows. The proposal from the US Bureau of Reclamation outlines water cuts for California, Arizona, and Nevada to stave off a crisis in the river.
These potentially steep and drastic water cuts over the next decade, particularly during dry years, are expected to impact communities and farms across the three affected states. For now, the proposal spares Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming from facing mandatory water cuts.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs has described the federal plan as unacceptable and draconian. Legal battles are expected as the states continue to fight over a long-term management plan for the dwindling resource, making the current proposal a temporary fix.