The federal government announced the Colorado River will operate in a Tier 2 shortage condition for the first time starting in January as the drought has taken a severe toll on Lake Mead, the report said.
The drought has exacerbated the availability of water as the Colorado River dries up and water levels in Lake Powell and Lake Mead dip precipitously low, the report said.
Overuse of the river has led the federal government to put in place mandatory water cuts while asking states to develop plans that would save the river basin, the report said.
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15 August 2022, 23:23 GMT
The US Interior Department estimates that Lake Mead’s water level will fall below 1,050 feet above sea level in January, which is the threshold at which a Tier 2 shortage can be declared. The shortage means the states of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico will need to further reduce their use of water from the Colorado River beginning in January, the report said.
California will be exempted from having to reduce the amount of water it receives from the Colorado River, the report added.