2025 Colorado River Operating Plan: Arizona hit hard

• Lake Powell to operate in a Mid-Elevation Release Tier
• Lake Mead to face Level 1 Shortage Condition
• Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico to experience required water shortages
• Federal investments in conservation and infrastructure aim to stabilize the system

August 19, 2024 — The Bureau of Reclamation’s August 2024 24-Month Study has revealed that the Colorado River system will continue to face challenges in 2025 due to ongoing drought conditions. Lake Powell and Lake Mead, the two largest reservoirs in the system, are currently at a combined storage of 37% capacity.

Shortage Conditions & Water Reductions for Lower Basin.

Due to low reservoir levels, Lake Mead will operate in a Level 1 Shortage Condition in 2025, triggering mandatory water reductions for Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico. Arizona will face the largest cut, with a reduction of 512,000 acre-feet of water, representing about 18% of the state’s annual apportionment. Nevada will see a 7% reduction, or 21,000 acre-feet, and Mexico will experience a 5% reduction, or 80,000 acre-feet.

Federal Investments & Conservation Efforts.

In response to the historic drought, the federal government has invested in conservation and infrastructure improvements through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act. These investments have already resulted in significant water savings and are expected to lead to at least 3 million acre-feet of system water conservation savings by the end of 2026.

Looking Ahead: Federal Investments Help to Stabilize the System.

While the Colorado River System continues to face challenges, federal investments and conservation efforts are helping to stabilize it in the near term. However, long-term solutions are still needed to ensure the sustainability of the Colorado River Basin, which provides water for over 40 million people and supports millions of acres of agriculture. A separate planning process is underway to develop post-2026 operating guidelines for the system.

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Image:

Lake Mead, America’s largest reservoir, on the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona, has shrunk to historic lows, dropping to about 30% of its capacity. The reservoir provides water to 25 million people in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico.  The images were acquired May 19, 2000 and May 25 2022, and made available in the public domain by NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team.

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