Feds Shift Water Burden Upstream | Cheyenne News

Cheyenne News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 5, 2026 · 1m

The feds are cracking down on Colorado River water cuts, giving Upper Basin states like Wyoming a reprieve while slamming Lower Basin states—Arizona, Nevada, and California—with mandatory reductions. With reservoirs at historic lows and no long-term fix in sight, the Bureau of Reclamation’s new plan could slash millions of acre-feet from the Lower Basin, while forcing Upper Basin states to conserve 200,000 acre-feet annually. Flaming Gorge may step in as a backup, releasing up to a million more acre-feet. Analysts say the feds sided with the Upper Basin because their water is already at…