Western States Face New Round of Water Cuts

Nevada and other Western states face another round of water restrictions as the water level in major reservoirs along the Colorado River continues to fall to historic lows.

As Jennifer Solis explains in the Nevada Current, “Water in Lake Mead is projected to fall below 1,075 feet in 2025, an elevation that would trigger a water shortage, according to a 24-month study by the Bureau of Reclamation.” The reservoir is currently at 37 percent capacity, threatening its ability to deliver water or produce hydroelectric power.

“States in both the lower and upper Colorado River basin are each allocated 7.5 million acre-feet of water, for a total of 15 million acre-feet. But officials acknowledge only 12.4 million acre-feet flows from the river each year, and flows continue to shrink due to climate change.” Solis notes that Nevada has not been using its full annual water allocation thanks to recent conservation efforts that include a ban on ornamental grass in many public spaces and limits on the size of swimming pools. “The Southern Nevada Water Authority managed to reduce individual water use to 89 gallons per person per day last year, the lowest since the early 1990s. But hotter, drier conditions this summer means water use per person is likely to increase this year.”

The Bureau of Reclamation expects that Lake Mead’s water level could fall far enough to trigger a Tier 2 shortage and deeper cuts by the end of 2025.