Federal officials announcing this week they are making mandatory water cuts to the Colorado River. These are the first federal water cuts, and it’s the first-ever water shortage for a river that serves 40 million people in the West.
Arizona will be hardest-hit by the restrictions, losing 18% of its share from the river next year. That’s accounts for nearly 8% of the state’s total water use. Farmers in central Arizona, who are among the state’s largest producers of livestock, dairy, alfalfa, wheat and barley, will bear the brunt of the cuts.
“This year, we’re seeing the combined effects of lower than average snowpack, hotter temperatures, and dryer than average soil conditions, and unfortunately that trend may continue,” says Tonya Trujillo, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science.
The cuts come after two-year projections for Lake Mead show the water level dropping below critical thresholds due to extreme drought. The August predictions help determine what next year’s operating conditions will be for area waterways. The report predicts declines in Lake Mead and Lake Powell and that the entire Colorado river system storage is at 40% of its capacity.
