One of the West’s top water officials was pushed to resign by the Trump administration. Anne Castle was appointed to serve as federal representative to the Upper Colorado River Commission by the Biden administration in 2022.
It’s not uncommon for her position to turn over with a change in the White House. But Castle says she’s worried about the future under Trump. She says recent orders to release water from California reservoirs were based on a "total lack of understanding about how the system works."
"While it's rational, I think, for us to think that the Colorado River system and its policy direction isn't partisan, and therefore may be safe … while that's rational to think, these are not rational orders," Castle said.
Although she’s left her position, Castle says she’ll be watching how states sharing Colorado River water work towards compromise.
"I think that there is opportunity and possibly some reason for optimism that the states are talking more substantively now about how to get to a consensus agreement," Castle said.
-
On Sept. 8, KJZZ water reporter Alex Hager presented your questions and concerns to a panel of experts.
-
National Park Service officials expect to restore a reliable water supply in the Grand Canyon in weeks — not months — as the deadly flash flood didn’t damage most of a near-complete pipeline project, they said Tuesday. -
A few months after approving the secretive Project Blue data center development last year, Pima County decided any NDAs with the county will be reviewed every six months and cannot exceed two years. A vote last night seeks to apply that limit to existing NDAs, as well. -
A record-strong El Niño event developing in the Pacific Ocean could bring much-needed moisture to Arizona in the months ahead, but a wet winter is guaranteed. -
A report by Colorado River experts found that a federal plan for water cuts could bring Colorado River use by California, Arizona and Nevada to historically low levels.
