Nevada sues U.S. government over Colorado River water cuts

Nevada, the Colorado River Commission of Nevada, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority have filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of the Interior. The legal action challenges a new 10-year federal plan that mandates an annual reduction of 1.25 million acre-feet of water from the Lower Basin states—Arizona, California, and Nevada—starting in the 2027–2028 period.

The lawsuit argues the plan is fundamentally flawed because it exempts the four Upper Basin states (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming) from mandatory cuts. Nevada officials claim the state could lose as much as 70 percent of its annual water allocation, describing the reduction as unrealistic for a region that houses two-thirds of the state’s population and a significant portion of its economy.

The federal decision aims to maintain Lake Powell at an elevation of 3,510 feet or higher. The dispute highlights intensifying tensions over water management as climate-driven drought continues to impact the Colorado River, which supports approximately 40 million people and millions of acres of farmland.