Water cuts are coming for Arizona. Is your salad on the chopping block?
August 30, 2026
The Colorado River fills America’s salad bowl. It’s a vital source of water to Yuma County, Arizona, which grows 90% of the leafy greens the country consumes in the winter — but it’s nearing a crisis point.
With the river’s water levels at record lows, Arizona is poised to take the biggest cuts: about 30% of its Colorado River supply in 2027 and 2028.
Those are the terms stipulated by the Bureau of Reclamation, which imposed a mandatory two-year plan after the seven states that use Colorado River water failed to reach an agreement. If the megadrought persists and water levels continue to fall, a 10-year management plan the bureau has proposed would allow even harsher cuts that could threaten the country’s winter greens.