April 11 (UPI) -- The Biden administration floated new plans Tuesday to save the shrinking Colorado River, which could involve cutting water allotments by a quarter to drought-stricken states, including California, Arizona and Nevada.
The U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation revealed two proposals as part of its draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, or SEIS. Both plans would cut nearly 2.1 million more acre-feet, or 684 billion gallons, of Colorado River usage next year for Western states, farms and tribes.
"The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million Americans. It fuels hydropower resources in eight states, supports agriculture and agricultural communities across the West, and is a crucial resource for 30 Tribal Nations," Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said in a statement. "Failure is not an option."
One plan would spread the water cuts equally between cities, farmers and Native tribes. The other plan would put most of the water restrictions on major Western cities, such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Phoenix, allowing more water to flow to agriculture and tribes.
Related
The public will be allowed to provide input on the plans through May 30. A final decision on the cuts is expected this summer.
The Colorado River flows through Glen Canyon and Hoover dams to supply hydroelectric power to California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Years of drought and water overuse have dropped Lake Mead and Lake Powell's water levels to historic lows, despite the West's record-breaking snow and rainfall last winter.
"Drought conditions in the Colorado River Basin have been two decades in the making. To meet this moment, we must continue to work together, through a commitment to protecting the river, leading with science and a shared understanding that unprecedented conditions require new solutions," Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton said Tuesday.
In January, six of the seven states reached a tentative agreement with the federal government to cut back on shared water use from the river's two major dams, but California -- which uses most of the water -- did not sign on to the deal.
In addition to the two plans released Tuesday, the Interior Department floated a third option, which is "no action alternative," or to simply do nothing. The department included the no action option to show the impact of doing nothing and why water cuts are desperately needed.
"Water is life. As someone who was raised in the desert, I know how water scarcity can put stress on communities," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland tweeted Tuesday.
"The Department of Interior and Bureau of Reclamation are working diligently to address unprecedented drought in the Colorado River Basin."
