Historic Low Water Levels in Colorado River Prompt Major Cutbacks
WHO:
CBS News - Kelly Shannon McNeill, managing director of LA Waterkeeper, an organization that serves as a water watchdog.
CBS News - Seven states involved: Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico (upper basin states) and California, Arizona, Nevada (lower basin states).
CBS News - The Trump administration.
WHAT:
USA Today - Lake Powell was 23.4% full on July 19. It was last full in 1983.
USA Today - If Lake Powell's level falls more, it could create an environmental catastrophe by stopping the river flowing through the Grand Canyon, a situation known as "dead pool."
USA Today - Nearly half of the country's vegetables and more than three-quarters of its fruits and nuts are grown in California, according to the state's Food and Agriculture Department.
USA Today - Most of the water diverted from the Colorado River is used for farming, while 20% is designated for residential purposes.
CBS News - The Colorado River's two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have fallen to their lowest levels on record.
CBS News - California, Arizona, and Nevada have offered to cut their use of the Colorado River by about 1.6 million acre-feet, or roughly 500 billion gallons, a year for the next two years.
CBS News - Federal officials are considering cuts nearly twice that amount.
CBS News - If Lake Powell falls just 33 more feet, it will no longer meet the water levels needed to generate hydroelectric power.
WHERE:
CBS News - The Colorado River, a critical water source for the Western United States.
WHEN:
CBS News - The proposed cuts by California, Arizona, and Nevada are for the next two years.
WHY:
CBS News - A warming climate has led to less snowpack and less snowmelt feeding the Colorado River each spring.
CBS News - Population growth in the region has amplified the water crisis.
CBS News - Disagreement among the seven states is hindering progress on water sharing solutions.
HOW:
USA Today - Phoenix has invested in three water purification facilities and uses technology that controls irrigation schedules based on weather data.
USA Today - Tucson has replaced many grass lawns with Sonoran desert landscaping, which includes natural rock formations and native plants that require less water.
USA Today - San Diego is home to the country's largest desalination plant, which can supply water to up to 400,000 households annually.
USA Today - Albuquerque encourages people to limit watering their plants to three days a week and prohibits watering lawns between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m.
CBS News - The federal government is poised to impose sweeping cuts due to failed negotiations among the states.
(UPDATED July 27, 2026 06:12 UTC)
Lake Powell is currently only 23.4% full, a concerning statistic given that it was last at capacity in 1983, and further declines could lead to an environmental disaster by halting the river flow through the Grand Canyon, a scenario referred to as "dead pool." In California, nearly half of the nation's vegetables and over three-quarters of its fruits and nuts are produced, with most water from the Colorado River allocated for farming and 20% for residential use. To combat water scarcity, cities like Phoenix have invested in water purification facilities, Tucson has embraced desert landscaping, San Diego operates the largest desalination plant in the country, and Albuquerque has implemented strict watering regulations to conserve water.
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(UPDATED July 27, 2026 04:13 UTC)
The Colorado River's two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have reached their lowest levels on record, prompting urgent action from the seven states that rely on this critical water source. In response, California, Arizona, and Nevada have proposed to cut their usage by about 1.6 million acre-feet, or roughly 500 billion gallons, each year for the next two years, while federal officials are considering even deeper cuts due to ongoing disagreements among the states. A warming climate and increasing population growth in the region have exacerbated the water crisis, with Lake Powell facing the risk of falling just 33 more feet below the level needed for hydroelectric power generation.