Interior Department will conduct an environmental review before federal authorization is given.
An agreement to draw less water from the Colorado River was reached over the weekend between Arizona, California, and Nevada. The federal government is poised to compensate the water usage reduction with more than $1 billion under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Over 40 million Americans are supplied with drinking water by the Colorado River, as well as parts of Mexico. Irrigation supplies for more than 5.3 million acres of farmland. The cuts to water supplies will be shared between farmers, tribes, and cities.
The states have agreed to restrictions of around 13 percent of total water use – the most ever – through 2026. The Department of the Interior will conduct an environmental review before the deal in finalized.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary Deb Haaland as she oversees the Interior Department environmental review of the water reduction agreement.
- For state leaders in California, Nevada, and Arizona as they implement water reduction strategies.
- For residents, businesses, farmers, and tribes in the three states as they live with 13 percent less water.
Sources: NY Times, NPR, The Hill, CNN
