Leaders from California, Arizona, & Nevada agree to voluntarily cut water usage

FOX 9's Adam Klepp spoke with the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources about agreement

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - Water from the Colorado River is the engine for Yuma's agricultural economy.

On Wednesday, however, Arizona agreed to voluntarily take less of it.

Water agencies from Arizona, Nevada, and California all agreed to try and conserve 500,000 acre-feet of water over the next two years.

The move is in order to avoid the lake dropping below 1,020 feet of water. A level that experts say would put southwestern states at risk for mandatory restrictions on water.

For now, Yuma's agriculture will likely not be impacted heavily, as the cuts are voluntary, and many farms in the area have senior water rights.

Ultimately, the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources in Arizona Tom Buschatzke says the work is about getting ahead of the curve.

“Today was a celebratory event, a lot of hard work went into it," Buschatzke said. "Most importantly, it was also an opportunity to confirm with the about a thousand or so registrants... who all have a stake in the Colorado River, that we are being proactive."

By taking these measures, the three departments hope to add 16 feet of water per year to Lake Mead.