Western US states strike pact on Colorado River user as water amid scarcity

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) – The States of California, Arizona and Nevada struck Monday a breakthrough water-sharing deal with the Biden administration, agreeing to take less water from the drought-hit Colorado River in exchange for over a billion dollars in federal aid.

The inland waterway is a critical resource in the southwestern US, supplying water to over 40 million Americans in seven states, serving as an electricity generation source and providing irrigation for US farming.

“I commend our partners in the seven Basin states who have demonstrated leadership and unity of purpose in developing this consensus-based approach to achieve the substantial water conservation necessary to sustain the Colorado River System through 2026,” Deputy Interior Secretary Tommy Beaudreau said in a statement.

The states have agreed to conserve at least 3 million-acre-feet (maf) of system water through the end of 2026. Three-quarters of the water savings -- 2.3 maf – will be compensated by the Biden administration through the Inflation Reduction Act. That amounts to $1.2 billion in federal assistance, according to multiple reports.

“The entire Western United States is on the frontlines of climate change — we must work together to address this crisis and the weather extremes between drought and flood,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a joint statement with his counterparts in Arizona and Nevada.

“California has stepped up to make significant cuts to water usage and now, this historic partnership between California and other Lower Basin states will help maintain critical water supply for millions of Americans as we work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Colorado River System for decades to come,” he added.

In order to achieve the lofty water conservation goals, the trio of states will likely be forced to enact water restrictions that will affect daily life for residents and agricultural production.

The deal will avoid, however, the federal government mandating water cuts, which would almost certainly result in legal action.