The Trump administration has handed down a finalized operating plan for the Colorado River in 2027 and 2028 following years of stalled negotiations between seven states and the federal government.
Under the plan — one that largely aligns with what the Lower Basin states of Nevada, California and Arizona had previously floated — the Silver State will be forced to give up a sixth of its share of the Colorado River, or about 50,000 acre-feet, over the next two years. In total, those southern states will take 1.25 million acre-feet in reductions.
The Lower Basin states have agreed to voluntarily conserve and store at least 700,000 acre-feet of water over the two-year period to protect the system. That’s something Nevada already has a head start on and a $16.25 million federal grant will help the Silver State keep 50,000 acre-feet in Lake Mead this year to meet that requirement.
“These decisions provide a water management strategy for Basin stakeholders to respond to the prolonged drought by incorporating flexible tools and voluntary actions while leaving room for consensus agreements,” Assistant Interior Secretary of Water and Science Andrea Travnicek said in a statement.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
