Central Arizona Project Faces 760,000 Acre-Feet in Cuts as 330-Mile Canal Loses Priority
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Aug 23
Central Arizona Project Faces 760,000 Acre-Feet in Cuts as 330-Mile Canal Loses Priority
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 23
Summary
Arizona’s Central Arizona Project is emerging as the biggest loser under new Colorado River cuts, threatening the canal system that delivers water across 330 miles to Phoenix-area suburbs, farms and chip plants.
760,000 acre-feet of Arizona’s annual reductions stem from the project’s lower-priority water rights, a trade-off the state accepted in return for federal funding to build the aqueduct decades ago.
The Interior Department ordered Arizona, California and Nevada to cut 1.25 million acre-feet a year for 2027 and 2028 after the seven basin states failed to agree on sharing a shrinking river.
A 26-year drought, overuse and record-low levels at Lake Mead and Lake Powell have turned the canal that fueled Arizona’s growth into one of the first major targets for mandatory shortages.
Will the new short-term regulatory cycles paralyze the billion-dollar infrastructure projects desperately needed to save California and Arizona from running dry?
As reservoirs near critical failure, what hidden sacrifices must farmers and cities make to prevent a total collapse of the Western water grid?
The 2026–2028 Colorado River Mandate: Unprecedented Water Cuts, Legal Battles, and the Race to Secure the Southwest
Overview
Decades of drought, climate change, and overuse have pushed the Colorado River’s main reservoirs to historic lows, forcing the U.S. government to finalize a flexible 10-year management plan in 2026. This plan immediately cuts water supplies to the Lower Basin states, with Arizona facing the largest reduction. As a result, cities must invest in alternative water sources, leading to rising water bills, while farmers are pressured to modernize irrigation or retire land. These changes threaten winter vegetable yields, increasing reliance on foreign imports and raising food prices nationwide. Meanwhile, California is investing billions in water infrastructure to build long-term resilience.