Federal officials say plan for water cuts from 3 Western states is enough to protect Colorado River

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE and AMY TAXIN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Federal officials say that conditions have improved on the Colorado River to the point that a three-state plan to reduce water use should keep the river basin on stable footing for several years. The U.S. Department of the Interior is throwing its support behind a proposal by Arizona, Colorado and Nevada. The states’ plan would conserve 3 million acre feet of water through 2026. An acre-foot is enough to supply two to three U.S. households for a year. The announcement shows how much things have changed since federal officials warned in summer 2022 that drastic cuts were needed to stave off a crisis in the river.