Federal funding for the Colorado River has largely been on pause since Donald Trump returned to the White House. But now, some is coming back.
The Bureau of Reclamation is extending some contracts to conserve water.
It’s the kind of spending that was common under the Biden administration, but stands out now.
Sarah Porter directs the Kyl Center for water policy at Arizona State University. She says we shouldn’t read into it too much.
"It does indicate, I think, that the bureau and maybe the Interior Department, understand that the Colorado River is in pretty precarious shape, and that, you know, something needs to be done," Porter said.
In total, federal authorities will pay $128 million to farms, cities and tribes in Arizona and California. In exchange, they’ll leave some of their water in Lake Mead, the nation’s largest reservoir. It stores water for millions of people in Phoenix as well as Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
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The states that share water from the river may be heading for a Supreme Court battle amid stalled negotiations. -
States that use the Colorado River say they want to avoid litigation about its future, but are unable to agree on a plan to share water. -
A state agency acted illegally in imposing what developers are calling a "tax" they have to pay to build in certain areas that don't have regular sources of water, a judge has concluded. -
Among many bills introduced by Democrats at the Arizona Legislature this session that never got a hearing one would have established a groundwater rights buyback program. -
The San Carlos Lake closed on Friday due to a health and safety hazard caused by dead fish. Some activities, like fishing, are prohibited until further notice.
