Water shortage declared on Colorado River

The Bureau of Reclamation recently announced a first-ever water shortage declaration for Lake Mead and the lower Colorado River Basin. The Bureau released the Colorado River Basin August 2021 24-Month Study. This month’s study projections are used to set annual operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead in 2022. Releases from these massive reservoirs are determined by anticipated reservoir elevations.

“The projected water year 2021 unregulated inflow into Lake Powell—the amount that would have flowed to Lake Mead without the benefit of storage behind Glen Canyon Dam—is approximately 32% of average. Total Colorado River system storage today is 40% of capacity, down from 49% at this time last year.”

As a result of the historic drought and low runoff conditions in the Colorado River Basin, the Bureau announced that downstream releases from Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam will be reduced in 2022 due to declining reservoir levels. In the Lower Basin the reductions represent the first “shortage” declaration — which the federal government says demonstrates the severity of the drought and low reservoir conditions. These mandatory cutbacks will bring challenges to Arizona farmers and reduce water allotments of Nevada and Mexico in 2020

“Like much of the West, and across our connected basins, the Colorado River is facing unprecedented and accelerating challenges,” said assistant secretary for water and science Tanya Trujillo. “The only way to address these challenges and climate change is to utilize the best available science and to work cooperatively across the landscapes and communities that rely on the Colorado River.”

The full Bureau of Reclamation announcement can be viewed online.