Colorado River Plan Expands to 3M AF Potential

The plan maintains 1.25 million acre-feet per year in 2027–2028 for California, Arizona and Nevada, with an additional goal to conserve 700,000 acre-feet over the two years. It now sits within a broader 10-year framework that could allow cuts up to 3 million acre-feet annually, a scale that drew warnings from states about potential economic damage. Unlike the original, the update explicitly lists Upper Basin states—Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico—as not subject to mandatory cuts. The plan repeats the two-year cycle for adjustments and keeps the possibility of integrating consensus agreements from all seven basin states. It emphasizes ongoing negotiations around drought management, reservoir levels such as Lake Mead and Lake Powell, and the need for flexibility as conditions evolve. The initiative affects millions across the West and underscores the high-stakes tension of Colorado River governance.