Federal plan calls for major water cuts in AZ, CA, NV | Drudge Retort

Saturday, August 01, 2026

Federal plan calls for major water cuts in AZ, CA, NV

Federal officials on Friday released an updated framework for the Colorado River, requiring Arizona, California and Nevada to significantly reduce their water use in the coming years. The plan, released by the Interior Department's Bureau of Reclamation, reduces the water available for use by the three states by 3 million acre-feet in the coming decade. One acre-foot is enough water for as many as four households to use for a whole year. The cuts represent the largest proposed cuts for those states to date

Posted by LampLighter at 02:31 PM | 28 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry |

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... "The department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it," Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement. "This framework provides the flexibility to respond to changing hydrologic conditions while preserving the opportunity for the Basin States to continue working toward durable, consensus-based solutions." ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-01 02:33 PM | Reply

@#1 ... The department has a responsibility to ensure the Colorado River system remains reliable and resilient for the millions of Americans, communities and industries that depend on it ...

Maybe, then, look at climate change as a possible cause of the problem?

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-01 02:34 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Seen the building boom in Phoenix lately?

Has to be unsustainable.

#3 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-08-01 07:15 PM | Reply

@#3 ... Has to be unsustainable. ...

I see a similar thing around here.

Developers putting up massive apartments on narrow one-and-a-half lane roads, and then the developers tell the town, "deal with it."

Not nearly as bad as what may be happening in Phoenix, but similar.

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-01 08:17 PM | Reply

I'm far from an expert on this, but this seems like a 'no s*&^' kind of directive.

#5 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-01 08:37 PM | Reply

@#5

Yup.

The Colorado River has not enough water to support those who rely upon it.

But why might that be?

One view ...

As snowpacks shrink, temperatures rise, and less water flows into the Colorado River, we're facing a historic mega-drought that's worsening with climate change.
www.grandcanyontrust.org

#6 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-01 09:44 PM | Reply

The federal government wants to destroy states that didn't vote for Trump.

Cutting water is the fastest way to do it.

Trump will kill California, one way or another.

#7 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-01 09:50 PM | Reply

@#7

Yeah, but AZ and NV?

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-01 09:54 PM | Reply

Trump will kill California, one way or another.

#7 | POSTED BY CLOWNSHACK

LOL Lumper logic,

The river is dry,
Trump offers a solution,
Trumps trying to kill CA.

Lumpers like HackAShack are idiot, Eberly was onto something.

#9 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-01 11:30 PM | Reply | Funny: 1

Yeah, but AZ and NV?
#8 | POSTED BY LAMPLIGHTER

Collateral Damage.

#10 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-02 02:50 AM | Reply

If a Democrat Administration did this, Republicans would have a cow.

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-02 05:53 PM | Reply

#9

Ballwasher the ------- ------. ---- off, moron.

#12 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-08-03 12:27 AM | Reply

I'm far from an expert on this, but this seems like a 'no s*&^' kind of directive.

#5 | Posted by jpw at 2026-08-01 08:37 PM | Reply | Flag:

You're a self-proclaimed expert on every damned thing else, why not just fake it till you make it like all the other ----. Dr with the pDh

#13 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2026-08-03 12:39 AM | Reply

The last thing to go will be the golf courses.

#14 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-03 08:27 AM | Reply

I'm far from an expert on this, but this seems like a 'no s*&^' kind of directive.
#5 | Posted by jpw

Did you run it by our resident expert FrownHack? He seems to think Trump is giving it to CA.

#15 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-03 10:05 AM | Reply

Trumps trying to kill CA.

#9 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Completely plausible, knowing what we do about Trump and his history of behavior.

Was it only six years ago that Trump refused help Blue states with COVID, wising them to suffer personally and politically?

Why yes, it was.

#16 | Posted by Zed at 2026-08-03 10:16 AM | Reply

For years I've been interested in investing into property in Arizona for an eventual retirement there.

But when you combine $500+ a square foot with this vulnerability with regards to water....it just isn't worth the risk.

#17 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-03 10:19 AM | Reply

POSTED BY LFTHNDTHRDS

POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

What I love about people like you is that every day you come here and behave as if Trump does not have a history; a blank slate.

It's a neat trick, really, and helps to paint the World's Worst Man (WWM) as an innocent victim.

Which, of course, the WWM wants you to do.

#18 | Posted by Zed at 2026-08-03 10:23 AM | Reply

POSTED BY LFTHNDTHRDS

POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Tell the truth. Is there some drug you take to help you do it?

#19 | Posted by Zed at 2026-08-03 10:26 AM | Reply

For years I've been interested in investing into property in Arizona
#17 | Posted by eberly

Aren't you the guy who says Obama must not believe in Global Warming since he bought beach front property?
Well, congratulations on figuring out that deserts are real, I guess.
Eberly 1, Obama 0.

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-03 10:27 AM | Reply

"The Colorado River has not enough water to support those who rely upon it.
But why might that be?"

Because it's ridiculous that 40 million people as well as over 5 million acres farm ground rely on this single source of water.

#21 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-03 10:35 AM | Reply

Because it's ridiculous that 40 million people as well as over 5 million acres farm ground rely on this single source of water.
#21 | Posted by eberly

So what's the plan, should we starve them out like we did the Indians?

#22 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-03 10:52 AM | Reply

"Cutting water is the fastest way to do it.
Trump will kill California, one way or another."

So what should we do, then? Not cut any water? Or...just not cut water to California, but cut the other 5 states that receive water from this source?

Maybe we should just do nothing. Just hope it snows more next year.

#23 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-03 11:00 AM | Reply

"So what should we do, then? Not cut any water? Or...just not cut water to California, but cut the other 5 states that receive water from this source?

Maybe we should just do nothing. Just hope it snows more next year."

Are this the only choices you can think of? Why should we be limited to those choices?

How about stop leaks by lining ditches using pipes or concrete.
Or
Grow plants that need less water in dry months.
Or
Pay farmers to use less water so the river stays full.
Or
Use more recycled water.
Or.
Catch and store more rainwater.
Or
More desalination plants

And of course water conservation programs.

Doing a lot of nothing for too long is what got us here.

#24 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-03 11:15 AM | Reply

www.youtube.com

#25 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-03 11:40 AM | Reply

-Are this the only choices you can think of? Why should we be limited to those choices?

no and no

#26 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-03 11:42 AM | Reply

State like California refuse to collect snow runoff or build new aquifers in order to protect the Delta smelt. But, cut access to a river that is being bled dry and now you've gone too far!

#27 | Posted by BellRinger at 2026-08-03 11:50 AM | Reply

It's not just a California problem Dingaling.

There are things all the states involved need to be better at.

Southern California could get water from the north of its own state if push came to shove. Which it just may come to. Some shoving.

If the river ran dry where would Arizona and Nevada get its water from?

#28 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-08-03 11:59 AM | Reply

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