By Staff Reporter |
The Trump administration has finally come to an agreement with Arizona and the other Lower Basin states on Colorado River water usage.
The news was met with a mixed reaction.
Gov. Katie Hobbs described the agreed-upon deal in an announcement on Friday as adequately protecting the state from the “disastrous and unacceptable forced federal water cuts” that were floated by the federal government earlier this month.
Under the federal government’s proposal, Arizona would have seen cuts up to 77%.
Under this deal, Arizona will lose about 61%: the most out of the Lower Basin states.
While Arizona will give up 760,000 acre-feet between 2027 and 2028, California and Nevada will collectively lose 490,000 acre-feet. Overall, the cuts represent a reduction of approximately 25%.
The Upper Basin states will not see cuts under this plan.
Brenda Burman, Central Arizona Project (CAP) general manager, said the Upper Basin states needed to pull their weight.
“Lake Mead should not be sacrificed to protect Lake Powell or other Upper Basin reservoirs, and every state that relies on the river should be part of the solution,” CAP General Manager Brenda Burman said in a statement. “The Colorado River needs to be treated as the system it is.”
Some of Arizona’s elected leaders issued stand-in statements in which they disclosed that they were still reviewing the plan.
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06), co-chair of the congressional Colorado River Caucus, said that upon initial review the current plan avoids the “most drastic options” previously announced by the Trump administration. However, Ciscomani intimated that long-term solutions were still lacking in this latest plan.
“The goal is clear: long-term water certainty and security for Arizona,” said Ciscomani. “I will continue working with the Administration and bipartisan leaders at every level of government to protect this critical resource for our farmers, ranchers, businesses, tribes, and every Arizona family that relies on the Colorado River.”
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) said that the deal provided two years of “welcome” stability, but that it was only “another short-term fix” and not a lasting solution.
“[A] two-year reprieve is not a solution. The agreements holding this decision together must be durable, and a record-breaking drought won’t suddenly resolve itself,” said Stanton. “Every two years, this same threat of ‘CAP to zero’ will hang over Arizona’s head. That’s no way to run a system millions of people depend on for water, power and food.”
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) didn’t issue a statement on the plan, but did post on social media calling water “the lifeblood of Arizona,” promising “bold action to confront the climate crisis,” and including a link to the city of Phoenix’s water quality page.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) issued a statement blending elements from colleagues Stanton and Ansari, calling for a more permanent solution among both the Upper and Lower Basin states while also urging action on climate change as the purported root causes of the prolonged drought.
Democrat Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego issued a joint statement simply expressing gratitude for the two years the plan afforded Arizona, and presented a lighter look forward at the road ahead for a more “lasting” plan of action. The senators also indirectly called on the Upper Basin states to take on some of the water-cuts burden as well.
“This decision provides much-needed certainty for Arizona and the Colorado River over the next two years,” Kelly and Gallego said. “The 2027 and 2028 guidelines protect Arizona from even deeper near-term cuts while giving the seven Basin states more time to reach a long-term agreement.”
Danny Seiden, Arizona Chamber President and CEO, said that the deal was “workable,” not perfect. Seiden credited state leaders for working in a bipartisan manner to accomplish the deal, specifically Hobbs, Senate President Warren Petersen (R-LD14), and House Speaker Steve Montenegro (R-LD29).
“We are still working through the details, but today’s decision appears to provide a workable path forward over the next two years and avoids some of the most damaging scenarios our state was facing,” said Seiden. “Arizona has already put real conservation and real cuts on the table, and the work now continues toward a long-term agreement that requires every Basin state to share in the responsibility. Arizona’s business community will continue to support our leaders as they fight for a fair, durable solution that protects our water and our economic future.”
Others weren’t so optimistic.
Scot Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club, called the deal “a total failure of leadership.” Mussi criticized the deal, saying it imposes water cuts on single family homes but not data centers and apartments.
Despite a massive population increase over the past 70 years, the state’s water usage has remained about the same or less since 1957.
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