Lake Mead Recreational Area/Deposit photo
By Shaun McKinnon | The Arizona Republic
The federal government announced new limits Tuesday on how much water the Southwest can take from the shrinking Colorado River and top officials were clear about the stakes.
“To avoid a catastrophic collapse of the Colorado River system and a future of uncertainty and conflict, water use in the basin must be reduced,” said Tanya Trujillo, assistant secretary for water and science in the Interior Department.
Two decades of drought and the growing effects of climate change have pushed the river beyond its limits. The two largest reservoirs, Lake Powell and Lake Mead, sit at one-quarter full and water levels have fallen at a pace that has surprised many of the experts.
The government’s operating guidelines were based on existing agreements among the seven states that draw water from the river, so there were no real surprises. Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will feel the brunt of the restrictions and, in Arizona, farmers will take the deepest cuts.
Here are five key takeaways from Tuesday’s announcement:
