Deal in the desert for Colorado River conservation plan
Under the proposed plan, 1.5 million acre-feet will be conserved by 2024
YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - Arizona, California, and Nevada agreed on a plan Monday to conserve three million acre-feet of Colorado River water by 2026.
The plan was submitted to the Department of the Interior to review.
The agreement between the lower-basin states comes after the Federal Government proposed plans to cut water deliveries either by senior rights or with even cuts across the board.
While the deal is not yet signed off on at the federal level, local irrigation districts said the submitted plan is a preferred alternative over the federal options.
Tom Davis with the Yuma County Water Users Assocciation says the agreement stabilizes the near future of our multi billion-dollar ag industry, since the plan avoids cutting the water deliveries of senior rights holders.
“I’m confident in this, no impact to the agriculture water diversions in the Yuma area,” Davis said
The deal was made after a historic winter snowpack.
Davis believes the runoff this year will even raise the depleted water levels in lakes powell and mead.
“Had we not had this great winter, this hydrology, we probably wouldn’t have had this arrangement, this deal,” Davis said.
But one year of good snow doesn’t reverse two decades of drought.
Tina Shields with the Imperial Irrigation District says the situation still needs to be closely monitored through 2026 when a new deal could be required.
“The Colorado River is our only water source so it is inherent IID is part of a global solution," Shields said.
For now, she is relieved their farmers also won't need to take cuts in the next few years.
“Let’s turn our attention to these long-term issues and make sure our system is at a sustainable standpoint through 2026," Shields said.
“California and our partners in Arizona and Nevada have developed a plan that results in better protection for the Colorado River system than other action alternatives identified in the current Draft SEIS released last month by Reclamation," Imperial Irrigation District Chairman J.B. Hamby said.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly said he's pleased by the deal.
“This proposal is an encouraging step, made possible by the Basin states negotiations and the Department of Interior using the resources we provided through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to conserve water," Kelly said. "I look forward to the review of this proposal and working with all partners in the Colorado River Basin to secure our water future.”
