States finalize historic Colorado River conservation deal with administration
Breanne Deppisch
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The Biden administration reached consensus Monday on a historic Colorado River Basin conservation deal after securing agreement from California, Arizona, and Nevada.
The agreement with the three states, which together make up the river’s Lower Basin, is slated to last through the end of 2026, the Interior Department said in a statement on Monday. It will also conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water.
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“There are 40 million people, seven states, and 30 Tribal Nations who rely on the Colorado River Basin for basic services such as drinking water and electricity,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement on Monday.
“Today’s announcement is a testament to the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to working with states, Tribes and communities throughout the West to find consensus solutions in the face of climate change and sustained drought,” she said.
Of those conservation savings, 2.3 million acre-feet will be compensated through roughly $1 billion in federal funds created by the Inflation Reduction Act, which supports efforts to increase near-term water conservation of the Colorado River System, as well as to build long-term system efficiency and prevent its reservoirs from falling to critically low levels.
It will also help pay farmers, Native American tribes, and others who voluntarily forgo water supplies.
Water levels in the Colorado River Basin have been dwindling for years, threatening water supplies to 40 million people in seven U.S. states and Mexico. The river helps sustain the nation’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, as well as an agriculture industry valued at $15 billion annually.
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In recent years, river levels have plummeted to historic lows due to a confluence of factors, including extreme heat, drought, and overuse by farmers. Just last year, federal officials ordered two of the three Lower Basin states, Arizona and Nevada, to slash their water use to 79% and 92% of their normal levels, respectively.