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Can a proposed deal save the Colorado River?

A sign warning buyers of the water situation is displayed across from a property for sale in Rio Verde Foothills, Arizona.
A sign warning buyers of the water situation is displayed across from a property for sale in Rio Verde Foothills, Arizona.

After years of heated disputes, the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada proposed a plan on Monday to significantly reduce their water use from the drought-stricken Colorado River over the next three years. 

The 1,450-mile Colorado River provides water to 40 million people in seven U.S. states, parts of Mexico, and more than two dozen Native American tribes. 

The proposal aims to conserve at least3 million acre-feet of water through the end of 2026. An acre-foot of water isroughly enoughto serve two to three U.S. households annually.

The proposed agreement uses less water at present, but what happens after 2026?We get down into the details and what this means for people in the Colorado River basin.

Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5

Maya Garg