We are now truly out of time.

“

Jennifer Pitt, Colorado River program director for the National Audubon Society

For the first time ever, the Interior Department declared a Tier 2a water shortage, which requires Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico to reduce the amount of water they draw from Lake Mead starting at the beginning of next year.

The states will have to reduce their water withdrawals by the following percentages:

21%

8%

7%

0%

California, the largest water user on the river, avoided taking any cuts.

Last year, Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico were required to cut their water intake from the river, and this year the cuts fall hardest on Arizona again.  Arizona will lose around 80,000 additional acre-feet of water this time, on top of the 500,000 acre-feet it lost in the last round — one-fifth of its total allotment combined.

While the bulk of the cuts from last year’s Tier 1 shortage fell on Arizona farmers, this newest round of cuts will also impact other water users, including the Gila River Indian Community and the city of Phoenix. The new cuts won’t shut off any taps, but they will deprive these water users of their excess water rights, leaving them with less wiggle room to deal with future shortages, and could lead to lawn-watering restrictions as cities try to adapt to the drought.

If water levels in Lake Mead fall 20 feet further, it will trigger a Tier 3 shortage, which would cut California’s massive water allotment for the first time.

Federal government announces historic water cuts as Colorado River falls to new lows

“The system is approaching a tipping point.”

Read the story

By Zoya Teirstein & Jake Bittle Photograph by Getty Images

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