States volunteer to take more cuts in Colorado River water

By BRITTANY PETERSON and FELICIA FONSECA
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Water leaders in California, Arizona and Nevada have signed an agreement to further reduce their take of Colorado River water to help stave off wider, mandatory cuts in the future. The signing took place Wednesday at the annual Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas. The three states get their water delivered through Lake Mead. This year, the lake dropped to a level that requires mandatory reductions for Arizona, Nevada and Mexico in 2022. More than 40 million people in the U.S. West rely on the Colorado River. The Interior Department joined the states and other water users in making the announcement.