Three States Reach Agreement to Conserve 3 Million Acre-Feet of Water by 2026

Officials from three states — Arizona, California and Nevada — have reached an agreement to conserve at least 3 million acre-feet of water by 2026. This is roughly the equivalent of 6 million Olympic-sized swimming pools. The agreement, which was announced on Tuesday, requires that at least 1.5 million acre-feet of water be conserved by 2024.

The agreement is part of a larger plan to conserve water in the Colorado River, which provides power and drinking water to seven U.S. states, parts of Mexico, and more than two dozen Native American tribes. The river is currently facing a severe drought, and officials were concerned that dams at Lake Mead and Lake Powell could reach “dead pool” status, meaning that flow would be cut off to lower regions of the river.

In exchange for temporarily using less water, cities, irrigation districts, and Native American tribes in the three states will receive federal funding. However, officials did not specify how much funding individual users in the states would receive.

The agreement is a step in the right direction for conserving water in the Colorado River. It is hoped that the agreement will help to ensure that the river continues to provide power and drinking water to the seven U.S. states, parts of Mexico, and Native American tribes that rely on it.