Arizona moves to join Nevada lawsuit over new Colorado River water cuts

Arizona's water department announced it will ask the court to intervene in the Nevada lawsuit that contests the Department of the Interior's new Colorado River allocation framework. Under the plan released on Aug. 21, Arizona would take a 760,000 acre-feet annual reduction, roughly 27% of its entitlement, while California and Nevada would shoulder smaller shares. The motion follows a broader dispute in which Upper Basin states face voluntary conservation goals, but Lower Basin states could be forced to cut up to 3 million acre-feet collectively.

Buschatzke emphasized that litigation is not the preferred route but is necessary to have a seat at the negotiating table and protect Arizona's water users. He cautioned that the cuts could dry up the Central Arizona Project and severely impact on-river communities, potentially doubling reductions from the earlier Lower Basin Agreement. The state hopes the legal action will pressure the federal government to revisit the allocation and involve Arizona in future Colorado River negotiations.