The Bureau of Reclamation announced Thursday that restrictions on Colorado River water users in Arizona and Nevada will not increase in the coming year, crediting basinwide conservation efforts for maintaining water levels in major reservoirs above critical levels.
Reclamation’s annual decree on water cuts is released in conjunction with its 24-month projections for water levels in the Colorado River Basin, which spans seven states and includes the Lake Powell and Lake Mead reservoirs.
“The Colorado River System is already showing significant improvements as a result of water savings from the historic investments in conservation and infrastructure improvements through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act,” Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said in a statement, referring to agreements with water agencies in Arizona, California and Nevada to conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water through 2026.
“These investments provide funding to local, state, and Tribal communities to tackle the climate crisis and unprecedented drought conditions,” she added.
