An agreement among four western states and the federal government will set aside $11 million to fund projects aimed at addressing low water levels in the Colorado River basin. The Interior Department said local water providers in Nevada, California, Arizona and Colorado will take part.
The agreement is to create pilot programs next year and in 2016 to provide incentives and compensation for cities, farmers, and industries to reduce water usage. The Southern Nevada Water Authority is among the project’s partners.
The announcement came a week after a new study by researchers from NASA and the University of California, Irvine showed much greater losses of basin groundwater than previously thought. U.S. Deputy Interior Secretary Mike Connor called the agreement "a critically important first step."
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