Arizona expected to take a 31% cut in Colorado River supplies

The federal government has reportedly accepted a plan from Arizona, California and Nevada that would reduce Arizona’s Colorado River water supply by 31% over the next two years. Chris Avery, an assistant city attorney for Tucson Water, said Friday that the reported figures are similar to the states’ proposal, though the final amounts could change.

The plan would also reduce California’s supply by 12% and Nevada’s by 28%. California’s percentage is smaller in part because the state has a larger Colorado River allocation than Arizona or Nevada.

For Arizona, the overall reduction would mean annual cuts of 14% in Central Arizona Project deliveries to cities and 10% to tribes. The CAP is Tucson’s only major source of drinking water. Tucson currently receives at least 40% more CAP water each year than it uses, so city officials say a 14% reduction would not affect the city’s ability to meet current customer demand.

The proposed cuts are less severe than earlier federal scenarios, which suggested CAP supplies could fall by 77% or even 98%. The Bureau of Reclamation is preparing a final report as water levels continue to decline in Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which face growing risks to electricity generation and future water deliveries.