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Generally, the city of Needles holds three types of rights in Colorado River water: Present perfect rights, surplus water rights and rights under the lower Colorado River Water Supply Act. These rights are guaranteed in a series of agreements with the federal government and other holders of Colorado River rights; generally states, large water districts, and occasionally Mexico. According to city staff, due to changing circumstances with respect to Colorado River water and especially the looming scarcity due to prolonged drought, there are periodic rounds of renegotiation of the Colorado River agreements, some of which Needles is required to sign.

The Metropolitan Water District has opened a review into its own ethics office, hiring a Washington, D.C.-based law firm to look into at least two investigations carried out at the agency. The MWD is paying attorney Alejandro Mayorkas, the former deputy secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, nearly $1,100 per hour to examine the policies and procedures of the office, which investigates potential violations of internal ethics rules.

More than 10,000 firefighters were battling 23 large wildfires statewide, California fire officials said Tuesday. The Helena Fire in Trinity County was among the most troublesome, with 72 homes destroyed and more than 11,000 acres consumed about five miles northwest of Junction City. Kelly Wood, a fire information officer, said crews spent Tuesday on strategic burn operations, conducting control burns ahead of the fire to prevent its spread. One such burn was being conducted Tuesday evening in the Junction City area.

One of California’s largest Colorado River farm water districts is suing the state’s largest municipal water agency, charging that efforts to move farm water to cities are threatening the viability of agriculture in one of the oldest farming valleys on the river.