Representatives from lower Colorado River basin states, the federal government and tribes sign the new 500+ plan. The deal, formalized at the Colorado River Water Users Association conference in Las Vegas, allocates millions of dollars to help put water back into Lake Mead.
Water agencies from three western states and the federal government have signed a deal to leave extra water in Lake Mead, a reservoir that supplies water throughout the Southwest.
It’s an effort to stop Lake Mead from dropping past critically low water levels, as drought continues to push supplies past already-historic lows.
Under the new plan, states would leave enough water to supply over a million homes each year.
Arizona, California, Nevada, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation are pooling more than $100 million dollars to incentivize reductions in water use.
The measure is seen as a way to encourage voluntary cutbacks before mandatory restrictions are triggered.
Experts say it's only a band-aid in the face of the region’s steadily shrinking water supply.
Policymakers are under pressure to come up with new guidelines before the current rules expire in 2026.
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