In Pictures

Photos: US mulls water cuts amid Colorado River crisis

Al Jazeera travels to key sites and communities in the Colorado River Basin as the region grapples with record drought.

An aerial view of Lake Powell, the second-largest, man-made reservoir in the US, in Page, Arizona — An aerial view of Lake Powell, the second-largest, man-made reservoir in the United States, in Page, Arizona.[Megan O'Toole/Al Jazeera]

By Jillian Kestler-D'Amours and Megan O'Toole

The United States is considering water cuts across seven states that rely on the Colorado River, a 2,330km (1,450-mile) waterway that supplies drinking water and electricity to tens of millions of people in the American West.

The need for reductions, which are expected to be announced later this year, comes as water levels in the river hit record lows amid climate change-fuelled drought.

Approximately 40 million people in the seven Colorado River Basin states – Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California – will be affected, including members of the 30 federally recognised Indigenous tribes in the region.

Despite years-long efforts to mitigate drought, in August 2021 Washington declared the first-ever water shortage in the basin, mandating water reductions and mitigation measures – but a long-term solution remained out of reach.

Researchers have warned that without considerable cuts, the two largest US reservoirs – Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which depend on the river – could get so low that water will cease flowing.

With a final decision on cuts from the federal government looming, Al Jazeera travelled to key sites and communities along the Colorado River to see how the crisis is affecting residents.

This gallery was supported by The Water Desk, an independent journalism initiative based at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Environmental Journalism.

Aerial photography was made possible through LightHawk donated flights.

Built on the Colorado River and straddling the Arizona-Utah state border, the water in Lake Powell hit a new record low in February after years of climate change-fuelled aridification and reduced inflows from the Rocky Mountains, which feed the waterway — Straddling the Arizona-Utah state border, Lake Powell hit a new record low in February after years of climate change-fuelled aridification. [Jillian Kestler-D'Amours/Al Jazeera]

A view of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River — The second-highest concrete-arch dam in the US, Glen Canyon Dam was built decades ago to help form Lake Powell and 'harness the power of the Colorado River'. [Jillian Kestler-D'Amours/Al Jazeera]

Glen Canyon Dam near Lake Powell, Arizona — Experts fear that without considerable cuts, water in Lake Powell and its sister reservoir, the larger Lake Mead, could hit a catastrophic point known as 'dead pool' where water ceases to flow. [Jillian Kestler-D'Amours/Al Jazeera]

Lake Mead at the Hoover Dam, Nevada, US — 'We’re in the driest spell in 1,200 years,' said Sarah Porter, director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy at Arizona State University. [Jillian Kestler-D'Amours/Al Jazeera]

A view of Ute Mountain lands, Colorado — Meanwhile, 30 federally recognised Native American tribes in the Colorado River Basin are fighting to have their voices heard in water discussions. [Megan O'Toole/Al Jazeera]

A view of the tribal offices in Ute Mountain Ute, Colorado, US — Together, the tribes currently hold the rights to about one-quarter of the water, a share that could increase as outstanding claims are settled. [Megan O'Toole/Al Jazeera]

Water storage tanks in Southern Ute, Colorado — But many Indigenous communities still face uphill battles to access water, including a lack of storage capacity, funding and infrastructure. [Megan O'Toole/Al Jazeera]

A view of Southern Ute, Colorado, US — As questions persist around who will shoulder the cuts, Indigenous leaders say their input is critical to determine the Colorado River's future and mitigate the drought. [Megan O'Toole/Al Jazeera]