Biden Admin to Pay Farmers, Tribes, Cities to Use Less Water From Lake Mead

Farmers, cities and Indigenous tribes in the three lower Colorado River basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada will receive federal funding for drawing less water from drought-stricken Lake Mead to reduce strain on the Colorado River, the Biden administration said Thursday.

The Interior Department will use some of the $4 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act for the program, which will pay applicants a fixed amount of money per acre-foot of water they can leave and aims to increase water conservation and water efficiency within the Colorado River Basin.

"The prolonged drought afflicting the West is one of the most significant challenges facing our country. I have seen firsthand how climate change is exacerbating the drought crisis and putting pressure on the communities who live across Western landscapes," Secretary Deb Haaland said in a press release. "Thanks to historic funding from the Inflation Reduction Act, the Interior Department is committed to using every resource available to conserve water and ensure that irrigators, tribes and adjoining communities receive adequate assistance and support to build resilient communities and protect our water supplies."

A one-year agreement gets $330 per acre-foot, two years gets $365 per acre-foot and three years gets $400 per acre-foot, according to the department.

Lake Mead's water levels fell to just 27% full capacity in September, or 1,045 feet above sea level.  

"This significant investment from the Inflation Reduction Act enables the Bureau of Reclamation to improve water management and conservation efforts in the Colorado River Basin today — and for the future," said Reclamation Commissioner Camille Calimlim Touton. "The Lower Colorado River Basin System Conservation and Efficiency Program provides both new opportunities for system conservation and more durable long-term solutions for areas experiencing drought."

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