States reach deal to protect Colorado River
California, Arizona, and Nevada have reached a landmark deal on water cuts to stave off a crisis on the Colorado River.
The Colorado River system provides water to more than 40 million people in the west.
On Monday, the states announced the deal would cut millions of gallons of water usage over the next four years.
Roughly half of that is expected to be completed by next year.
The cuts run through 2026 and represent around 10% of the three states' Colorado River allocation.
The water cuts would be split up among farmers, tribes, and cities.
Those stakeholders are working with the federal government on short-term payments in exchange for water savings.
The plan still needs to be finalized after a federal environmental review.
Western and federal officials have scrambled to reach an agreement to boost water levels at the nation's largest reservoirs, Lakes Mead and Powell.