U.S. federal officials announced sharp water cuts for the next two years on Friday for three Western states that rely on the imperiled Colorado River. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
Under the Bureau of Reclamation's plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet (about 1.54 billion cubic meters) annually during that period, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions.
Arizona will see the biggest cuts, while other states will also be significantly affected. These measures are driven by the need to conserve the river's dwindling supplies.
The Colorado River flows beneath the Glen Canyon Dam at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, near Page, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Water flows down the Colorado River downriver from Hoover Dam in northwest Arizona, on Aug. 14, 2022, near the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
Boats are moored at a marina on Lake Mead at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, near Boulder City, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher)
People walk across the Glen Canyon Dam near Lake Powell at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Tuesday, July 14, 2026, near Page, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher)
A bathtub ring of light minerals shows the high water line of Lake Mead near Hoover Dam at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, near Boulder City, Nev. (AP Photo/John Locher)