Colorado River Allocations Cut as Basin Faces Critical Threshold

Federal projections show Lake Mead reaching 1,055.88 feet by January 2026—20 feet below shortage threshold—triggering mandatory Colorado River reductions of 18% for Arizona, 7% for Nevada, and 5% for Mexico. This marks the third consecutive year of cuts amid a two-decade drought intensified by climate-driven temperature anomalies. The data arrives at a pivotal moment as the 2007 Interim Guidelines expire next year, with negotiators facing a November deadline to develop new operating parameters based on diminished flow realities.