Colorado River water cuts to impact Lower Basin states starting 2027

The Bureau of Reclamation has established a new 10-year framework for managing the Colorado River to address prolonged drought and historic lows in major reservoirs. Under this plan, operating guidelines will be developed in two-year increments to allow managers to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

For the 2027–2028 period, the Lower Basin states face a combined annual reduction of 1.25 million acre-feet of water. Arizona is projected to bear the largest share of these cuts at approximately 760,000 acre-feet, followed by California with 440,000 acre-feet and Nevada with 50,000 acre-feet.

In Arizona, these reductions may impact irrigation districts in the Yuma area, such as the Wellton-Mohawk, Yuma Mesa, Yuma, and North Gila districts. While the Yuma Valley holds Priority One water rights, local officials warn that continued drought could eventually lead to shortage allocations for lower-priority users.