The Colorado River provides water to seven U.S. states, as well as Mexico. In the U.S., the river is divided into two portions, the Upper and Lower basins. Each basin is allocated 7.5 million acre-feet (MAF) of water per year. Colorado is allocated the largest share of the upper basin, at 51.75 percent, or some 3.9 MAF per year. In the lower basin, California is allocated 4.4 MAF.
The Colorado River supplies water for agricultural purposes, electricity generation, as well as drinking water to millions of U.S. Americans. However, extreme drought and overuse are drying up the Colorado River and draining two of the U.S.'s largest reservoirs - Lake Mead and Lake Powell - which has led to several states being issued mandatory water cuts to save supplies.
Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state
(in million acre-feet per year)
Characteristic
California
Arizona
Nevada
Colorado
Utah
Wyoming
New Mexico
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CNN, & Statista. (August 16, 2022). Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state (in million acre-feet per year) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved September 14, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/
CNN, und Statista. "Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state (in million acre-feet per year)." Chart. August 16, 2022. Statista. Accessed September 14, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/
CNN, Statista. (2022). Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state (in million acre-feet per year). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: September 14, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/
CNN, and Statista. "Distribution of The Colorado River's Annual Water Allocations in The United States, by Basin and State (in Million Acre-feet per Year)." Statista, Statista Inc., 16 Aug 2022, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/
CNN & Statista, Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state (in million acre-feet per year) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/ (last visited September 14, 2024)
Distribution of the Colorado River's annual water allocations in the United States, by basin and state (in million acre-feet per year) [Graph], CNN, & Statista, August 16, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1361173/colorado-river-water-allocation-by-state-and-basin-us/
