Bipartisan Leaders Unite to Protect State's Colorado River Water As Guidelines Have Expired

Bipartisan lawmakers in Arizona are joining forces to address a growing water crisis that could affect millions of people in the state.

Governor Katie Hobbs, along with Republican and Democratic leaders, sent a letter on Monday, November 10, to Interior Secretary Burgum asking the federal government to step in and help resolve a significant disagreement over Colorado River water.

Along with Hobbs, the letter was signed by Warren Petersen, Steve Montenegro, Priya Sundareshan, and Oscar De Los Santos as well.

"Arizonans deserve their fair share of Colorado River water," Governor Hobbs shared on X after sending the letter. "Today, I was proud to lead a bipartisan letter..advocating for a common sense deal that protects Arizona families, farmers, and businesses."

The Colorado River supplies water to Arizona's cities, farms, military bases, and 22 Native American tribes. It's also essential for the state's growing technology industry, including semiconductor manufacturing plants that have been moving to Arizona from overseas.

Arizona's Initiative

Arizona, California, and Nevada are in the "Lower Basin," and Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico are in the "Upper Basin," and they all share water from the Colorado River. The current rules for how these states share the river's water expired on Tuesday, November 11.

Arizona, California, and Nevada have proposed plans to use less water, with Arizona offering to reduce its share by more than 27% in most years. Since 2023, the three Lower Basin states have already conserved over 3 million acre-feet of water to help stabilize Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the river's two largest reservoirs.

However, the four Upper Basin states have refused to commit to any mandatory water reductions of their own. This disagreement has created a standstill in negotiations, preventing all seven states from reaching an agreement.

Arizona's leaders are asking the Interior Secretary to use federal authority to ensure that any final plan includes required conservation measures for all states that use the river, not just some of them.

With reservoir levels still low, the bipartisan lawmakers say time is running out to reach a solution that protects Arizona's water supply and economy.