Federal officials announced Aug. 15 they would continue water allocation cuts on the Colorado River for the fifth consecutive year following a persistent drought that’s shrunken the river’s largest reservoir.

Arizona will again go without 18% of its total Colorado River allocation, while Mexico loses 5%. The reduction for Nevada — which receives far less water than Arizona, California or Mexico — will stay at 7%. California won’t face any cuts because it has senior water rights and is the last to lose in times of shortage.

Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will be subject to substantial cuts from their Colorado River allocations for the third year in a row, the Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday. The agency made these determinations in its August 2025 24-month study,