Negotiators from the three Lower Basin states and four Upper Basin states deadlocked during three years of talks over sharing Colorado River water reductions.

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Lake Mead and Lake Powell have dropped to record low levels due to persistent drought, climate change, and overuse.

Arizona filed a motion to intervene in Nevada's federal lawsuit against the Trump administration on October 16, 2026, challenging federal operational plans for the Colorado River.

Nevada initially filed its lawsuit in August 2026 to block the U.S. Department of the Interior's 10-year operational guidelines for the Colorado River Basin.

Arizona officials warned the federal government that further reductions in Lake Mead's water levels could trigger a lawsuit over Colorado River Compact violations.

An Interior Department spokesperson rejected Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs's position as wrong and asserted that the department would operate in good faith.

California, Arizona, and Nevada agreed to voluntarily cut 3.2 million acre-feet of Colorado River water usage total through 2028.

The federal operational plan exempts Upper Basin states—Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico—from mandatory Colorado River water cutbacks.

The Rocky Mountains recorded their lowest snowpack on record in 2026, leading to reduced snowmelt inflows into Colorado River reservoirs.

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs stated she will not accept a forced federal plan that addresses the water crisis solely through Lower Basin sacrifices.

The federal government intervened to impose water restrictions after seven Colorado River Basin states missed multiple deadlines to reach a consensus.

The federal plan allows mandatory cuts of up to 3 million acre-feet per year for Lower Basin states between 2029 and 2036, representing up to a 40 percent reduction.

Nevada's legal complaint contends the Interior Department failed to evaluate alternatives requiring Upper Basin states to shoulder water cutbacks.

Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke warned that proposed federal cuts could dry up the Central Arizona Project and devastate the state's economy.

Arizona relies on the Colorado River for 36 percent of its water supply, delivering it primarily through the Central Arizona Project canal.

State officials expressed concern that plummeting reservoir levels could reach deadpool status, blocking water from flowing downstream through Colorado River dams.

An Interior Department spokesperson stated that litigation will not create additional water and criticized Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs for playing politics.

Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo welcomed Arizona joining Nevada's lawsuit against the federal Colorado River water reduction plan.

The Colorado River supplies water to approximately 35 million people across seven U.S. states and 30 Native American tribes.

The 1922 Colorado River Compact requires downstream water releases from upstream dams to average at least 7.5 million acre-feet annually over any 10-year period.

The Central Arizona Project holds low-priority water rights relative to older aqueducts, making its water allocation first in line for mandatory cutbacks.