Drought-stricken states to get less water from Colorado River

Lake Mead (John Locher/AP)

For the second year in a row, Arizona and Nevada will face cuts in the amount of water they can draw from the Colorado River as the Western United States endures an extreme drought, federal officials announced.

The cuts planned for next year will force states to make critical decisions about where to reduce consumption and whether to prioritise growing cities or agricultural areas.