Lower Colorado River Water Accounting

Daily Water Use Forecast

Official Water Use Forecast - 2025
Actual Water Use - 2025
Interactive Water Use Forecast - 2025 (Beta Version)   *NEW*
Disclaimer: Data in this beta version may not match official forecast as we refine our processes.

Water Schedules and Approvals

Arizona
California
Nevada
Mexico

Colorado River Water Diversion
Reporting Forms

Form LC-72A

Special Projects

The Lower Colorado River Mainstream Evaporation and Riparian Evapotranspiration Losses Report

Exploration of Quantification Methods for Agricultural Water Savings in the Lower Colorado River Basin

Guidance Documents

Law of the River
43 CFR Part 417
Inadvertent Overrun and Payback Policy
Yuma Area Water Accounting Policy Beginning in CY 2003
Unused Water Policy
2007 Interim Guidelines
Colorado River Basin Drought Contingency Plans

General Info & Links

USGS National Water Dashboard



Colorado River Water Use Reporting

History and Types of Reports

The Lower Colorado Basin Region's Water Accounting and Verification Office provides regular reports on diversions and water uses and losses in the lower Colorado River Basin through the following three reports:

• Water Accounting Reports
• Consumptive Uses and Losses Reports
• Lower Colorado River Annual Summary of Evapotranspiration and Evaporation Reports

While source data from one report may be utilized in others, each is a standalone report with differing definitions and methodologies.  

Note: All reports are formatted as Adobe Acrobat PDF files. 

Water Accounting Reports

The "Water Accounting Report" tabulates measured diversions, measured returns and consumptive use of each user taking water from the lower Colorado River:
2024 (13.5 MB)  *NEW*
2023 (10.4 MB)
2022 (7.30 MB)
2021 (12.7 MB)
2020 (11.6 MB)
2019 (13.4 MB)
2018 (10.4 MB)
2017 (16.4 MB)
2016 (13.7 MB)
2015 (908 KB)
2014 (1.6 MB)
2013 (2.0 MB)
2012 (1.4 MB)
2011 (1.2 MB)
2010 (1.6 MB)
2009 (1.1 MB)
2008 (1.9 MB)
2007 (5.3 MB)
2006 (2.4 MB)
2005 (1.1 MB)
2004 (1.2 MB)
2003 (647 KB)
2002 (1.3 MB)
2001 (1.7 MB)
2000 (1.2 MB)
1999 (1.2 MB)
1998 (1.2 MB)
1997 (1.0 MB)
1996 (1.1 MB)
1995 (1.0 MB)
1994 (1.0 MB)
1993 (1.0 MB)
1992 (1.0 MB)
1991 (937 KB)
1990 (997 KB)
1989 (927 KB)
1988 (996 KB)
1987 (1.0 MB)
1986 (804 KB)
1985 (915 KB)
1984 (787 KB)
1983 (782 KB)
1982 (843 KB)
1981 (1.2 MB)
1980 (885 KB)
1979 (927 KB)
1978 (900 KB)
1977 (896 KB)
1976 (903 KB)
1975 (906 KB)
1974 (1.0 MB)
1973 (937 MB)
1972 (1.0 MB)
1971 (1.1 MB)
1970 (985 MB)
1969 (841 KB)
1968 (897 KB)
1967 (848 KB)
1966 (723 KB)
1965 (677 KB)
1964 (464 KB)
Contact: Jeremy Dodds at: jdodds@usbr.gov. 

Colorado River System Consumptive Uses and Losses Reports

The "Colorado River System Consumptive Uses and Losses Report" presents estimates of the anthropogenic consumptive uses and losses (CUL) from the Colorado River System for each calendar year since 1971. CUL data are categorized by type of use, reporting area, and by individual state. Data for the Upper and Lower Colorado River Systems are calculated and reported by their respective regional offices, while the five-year reports provide system-wide summaries. Files related to the Upper Colorado River System can be found on the Upper Colorado Basin Region's webpage. 
For additional questions or information regarding the Consumptive Uses and Losses program, please contact the Water Accounting and Verification Group via e-mail at: bor-sha-LCB-WaterAcc@usbr.gov. 

Lower Colorado River Annual Summary of Evapotranspiration and Evaporation Reports

The "Lower Colorado River Annual Summary of Evapotranspiration and Evaporation" (LCRAS) report provides estimates of annual agricultural, riparian vegetation, and open water acreages and water uses along the lower Colorado River from Hoover Dam to the Southerly International Boundary with Mexico. Reclamation has reported this data since 1995, in reports previously called the “Lower Colorado River Accounting System (LCRAS) Evapotranspiration and Evaporation Calculation.”
Calendar Year 2016 ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 115 KB)
Calendar Year 2015 ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 153 KB)
Calendar Year 2014 Report (PDF, 14 MB) or ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 140 KB)
Calendar Year 2013 Report (PDF, 13 MB) or ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 133 KB)
Calendar Year 2012 Report (PDF, 13 MB) or ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 143 KB)
Calendar Year 2011 Report (PDF, 4.1 MB) or ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 152 KB)
Calendar Year 2010 Report (PDF, 4.9 MB) or ET and Acreage Summaries (Excel, 187 KB)
Calendar Year 2009 Report (PDF, 5.2 MB)
Calendar Year 2008 Report or download (21 MB)
Calendar Year 2007 Report or download (6.4 MB)
Calendar Year 2006 Report or download (13.1 MB)
Calendar Year 2005 Report or download (16.6 MB)
Calendar Year 2004 Report or download (5.4 MB)
Calendar Year 2003 Report or download (4.9 MB)
Calendar Year 2002 Report or zip download (8.7 MB)
Calendar Year 2001 Report or zip download (8.5 MB)
Calendar Year 2000 Report or zip download (9 MB)
Calendar Year 1999 Report or zip download (8.7 MB)
Calendar Year 1998 Report or zip download (8.6 MB)
Calendar Year 1997 Report or zip download (6.6 MB)
Calendar Year 1996 Report or zip download (13.3 MB)
Calendar Year 1995 Report or zip download (13.2 MB)
For additional questions or information regarding the Lower Colorado River Annual Summary of Evapotranspiration and Evaporation program, please contact the Water Accounting and Verification Group via e-mail at: bor-sha-LCB-WaterAcc@usbr.gov. 

Last Updated: 12/18/2025