Federal officials plan to announce 2024 cuts along the Colorado River. Here's what to expect
Federal officials this week are expected to ease water cuts for Western states reliant on the Colorado River next year
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials this week are expected to ease water cuts for 2024 under a slightly improved outlook for the Colorado River’s health, though long-term challenges remain.
The river provides water for seven U.S. states, 29 Native American tribes and two states in Mexico. It also supports a multibillion-dollar farm industry in the West and generates hydropower used across the region. Years of overuse by farms and cities and the effects of drought worsened by climate change has meant much less water flows today through the Colorado River than in previous decades.
The U.S. government in 2021 announced cuts that hit Arizona particularly hard. Last year, those cuts grew more severe thanks to continued drought, poor precipitation and less runoff from the river's Rocky Mountains source.
A wetter winter and conservation measures have helped improve the river's health a bit this summer, but experts warn a drier future is ahead.
