The governors of California, Nevada, and Arizona have agreed to a plan to reduce water use from the Colorado River over the next three years in an effort to to protect the stability and sustainability of the river system.
The agreement, called the Lower Basin Plan, would conserve about 3 million-acre feet of water from the river through the end of 2026, according to the Department of the Interior.
In exchange for using less water, the federal government will pay roughly $1.2 billion to cities, irrigation districts and Native American tribes using funding provided in the Inflation Reduction Act, NPR reported.
President Joe Biden called the agreement an "important step forward in our efforts to protect the stability of the Colorado River System in the face of climate change and historic drought conditions."
"This approach will benefit the 40 million people who rely on the Colorado River Basin for agriculture, drinking water, and power, and is a critical step to building a sustainable, resilient future for states, Tribes and communities throughout the West," he said in a statement.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said the partnership will "help maintain critical water supply for millions of Americans."
"The entire Western United States is on the frontlines of climate change — we must work together to address this crisis and the weather extremes between drought and flood," he said in a statement.
Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo also praised the plan.
"Nevada has long been a leader in regional water conservation efforts, and we’re pleased to continue leading through this agreement with other Lower Basin States," he said. "Through this partnership, we look forward to equitably advancing our mutual goal of conserving our shared water resources."
Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said 30% of the water would come from California, while 55% would come from Arizona and 6% would come from Nevada.
The plan was submitted to the Bureau of Reclamation with all seven Colorado River Basin states supporting its evaluation.
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