by
Jeff Jensen
| Sep 06, 2021
Arizona to lose 18 percent of Colorado River allocation, Nevada loses 7 percent
The federal government declared the first ever water shortage on the Colorado River on August 16. The Tier 1 cuts are triggered when the predicted water level for Lake Mead on Jan. 1 of any given year falls below 1,075 feet. The current level is 1,067 feet with an anticipated level of 1,066 feet on Jan. 1, 2022.
The cuts will take place Jan. 1 of the coming year and further cuts will be implemented if the lake falls below 1,050 feet, 1,045 feet and 1,025 feet. Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will see the cuts with California being spared during the initial Tier 1 shortage. Arizona will take a cut of 18 percent of its river allocation, with Nevada and Mexico taking cuts of 7 percent and 5 percent respectively.
The Colorado River has long been a lifeline for survival in the West and serves as a critical water source for over 40 million people in 7 states. The water level at Lake Mead is at its lowest point since Hoover Dam was completed in 1936 and has been declining rapidly since 2000 due to a two-decade drought, effects of climate change and overallocation of available river water. If the lake level reaches 950 feet, hydroelectric power can no longer be produced and at 895 feet, the lake reaches “Deadpool” where water can no longer leave.
The initial reductions in Arizona will fall primarily on farmers in the central part of the state, but future cuts will affect other commercial (including golf courses) and residential users as well. The Southern Nevada Water Authority will not be implementing cuts to customers as the state currently uses only 256,000 of its 279,000-acre-foot allotment.
For more information on the Colorado Drought River Contingency Plans, visit https://www.usbr.gov/dcp/finaldocs.html.