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These Key Players Could Decide The Fate Of The Colorado River Drought Deal

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)by Ian James and Dustin Gardiner

Federal Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman has drawn a line in the sand for Arizona and other Western states: Finish a deal to take less water from the Colorado River by Thursday, or the federal government will be forced to step in and decide how to prevent reservoirs from falling to critical levels. With just four days until that deadline, many pieces have yet to fall into place for Arizona to finish its part of the agreement and join California and Nevada in endorsing the Drought Contingency Plan.

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‘A Crisis Of Sewage’: California Lawmakers Seek Funding For The Polluted New River

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)by Ian James

For decades, the New River has flowed north across the U.S.-Mexico border carrying toxic pollution and the stench of sewage. Now lawmakers in Washington and Sacramento are pursuing new legislation and funding to combat the pollution problems. Rep. Juan Vargas introduced a bill in Congress last week that would direct the Environmental Protection Agency to create a program focused on helping to coordinate funding for the restoration and protection of the New River.

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Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Defies Political Divisions In His 2019 State Of The State Address

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic

In a New Year’s Day essay in this newspaper, Valley attorney and scholar Grady Gammage, Jr. argued that 2018 may have been a watershed year in Arizona, as the people of this state broke habit and showed up at the polls in droves. “…They made discerning judgments,” wrote Gammage. “A pragmatic Republican governor was reelected by a wide margin, and yet, those same voters chose a Democrat for United States Senate: A Democrat who said she wanted to ‘get stuff done.’ “Maybe this means electoral politics is becoming more moderate, more focused on results than on scoring philosophical points.”

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OPINION: Arizona Has No Choice But To Act On The Drought Contingency Plan

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman has issued an edict to Arizona and the two other lower Colorado basin states: Come up with a drought contingency plan by Jan. 31 or she will step in and do it for us. Burman is right to throw down the gauntlet. The Colorado River is in trouble. A nearly two-decade drought and the ravages of climate change have reduced water levels in Lake Mead, the lower basin reservoir, to record lows. Hydrologists predict water levels in Lake Mead will likely drop below levels that, under the existing multistate agreement, trigger the first tier of mandatory cutbacks in Colorado River water deliveries to lower-basin states.

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A Larger Issue Looms Over Short-Term Colorado River Plan: Climate Change

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)by Ian James

With the water level in Lake Mead hovering near a point that would trigger a first-ever official shortage on the Colorado River, representatives of California, Arizona and Nevada are trying to wrap up a plan to prevent the water situation from spiraling into a major crisis. The plan is formally called the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan. But at an annual Colorado River conference this week, many water managers stressed that it’s merely a stopgap plan to get the region through the next several years until 2026.

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All Eyes are on Arizona as Colorado River Meetings Open with Focus on Finishing Drought Deal

/in , /by /The Arizona Republicby Ian James

Representatives of water agencies from across the West convened here this week for their annual Colorado River meetings, focusing on finishing a drought plan to prevent the levels of reservoirs from continuing to drop. Many of the water managers said they’re looking to Arizona to finish negotiating the details of its plan so the state can sign on and make possible a larger deal aimed at preventing Lake Mead from falling further. Federal officials had expressed hopes that Arizona, California and Nevada would iron out remaining issues and be ready to sign the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan at the Las Vegas conference.

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Colorado River Drought Plan ‘Gaining Momentum’ As CAP Board Signals Support

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

The agency that manages the Central Arizona Project canal signaled its support for the latest outline of a Colorado River drought plan in a vote that could lay the groundwork for a deal aimed at preventing Lake Mead from reaching perilously low levels. Board members of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District passed a motion Thursday saying they support “key provisions” of the plan, which they’re calling Arizona’s implementation plan for the proposed three-state Drought Contingency Plan.

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OPINION: Gov. Doug Ducey: Why I put $30 Million Toward Arizona’s Drought Contingency Plan

/in , /by /The Arizona Republicby Doug Ducey

After a great deal of hard work in recent weeks, water leaders from across Arizona have made significant progress in the effort to protect Arizona’s Colorado River water supplies. This progress brings us closer to a statewide agreement on Arizona’s internal plan for implementation of the Drought Contingency Plan. The long, hard-fought struggle to develop an Arizona DCP has not yet concluded, as there are still many details yet to be worked out.

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OPINION: Arizona’s Water Fight Earned It A Black Eye. Can We Rebuild Our Reputation?

/in , /by /The Arizona Republic (Phoenix)

A bruising battle pitting the two biggest players in Arizona water came to a pause late last week as the agencies announced a truce and promised to work together. On Thursday, the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Water Conservancy District dropped their swords and published a joint statement of cooperation.

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