Feds cut Colorado River allocation to Arizona, Nevada as talks fail

[Nevilledog]

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Ryan Shead
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Aug 16, 2022
@RyanShead
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🚨 ARIZONA JUST LOST 25% OF OUR FEDERAL WATER ALLOTMENT 🚨

States along the Colorado River have officially missed a federal deadline to develop a new water-sharing agreement, forcing the government to announce new allocation reductions, including nearly 25 percent to Arizona
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Ryan Shead
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“In June, the Interior Department gave the states 60 days to agree on a new allocation plan for an additional 15 percent reduction on top of expected federal reductions before the federal government stepped in. That period expired Tuesday.”

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Lake Mead
thehill.com
Feds cut Colorado River allocation to Arizona, Nevada as talks fail
States along the Colorado River have officially missed a federally imposed deadline to develop a new water-sharing agreement, and the federal government announced Tuesday it will take the reins and…
12:46 PM · Aug 16, 2022

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3604171-feds-cut-colorado-river-allocation-to-arizona-nevada-as-talks-fail/

States along the Colorado River have officially missed a federally imposed deadline to develop a new water-sharing agreement, and the federal government on Tuesday announced new water allocation reductions, including nearly 25 percent in cuts to Arizona.

The Colorado River basin serves seven states — an Upper Basin of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, and a lower one of Arizona, California and Nevada — and its waters are allocated based on the terms of a century-old agreement from when there was substantially more water in the river.

Meanwhile, the region is facing a 20-years-and-counting drought, the worst in centuries.
In June, the Interior Department gave the states 60 days to agree on a new allocation plan for an additional 15 percent reduction on top of expected federal reductions before the federal government stepped in. That period expired Tuesday.

In a news conference Tuesday, federal Bureau of Reclamation officials announced cuts to the yearly water allocation to Arizona and Nevada, as well as Mexico, which is also party to the compact. The bureau will withhold about 21 percent of Arizona’s yearly water allocation next year, as well as 8 percent of Nevada’s.

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[CrispyQ]

1. The start of the water wars? -nt

[mike_c]

2. 3/4 of Arizona's water allotment goes to agriculture...

...growing extremely water intensive crops like cotton in the desert. It was all good when there was enough water in the river, but those days are gone. Next they'll pump the aquifer dry, where there is one, then the gravy train of cheap water-- or any water-- will be done. As I understand it, most of the water use reductions will also target agriculture.

[Nevilledog]

3. Hopefully they'll deal with the water the Saudis are practically stealing

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