Arizona is turning up the heat on a new federal plan for managing the Colorado River. Major cutbacks are coming for the state’s water supply. Top water officials say the cuts are unfair and illegal. Now, they’re taking that argument to court. The Arizona Department of Water Resources filed a motion to intervene in Nevada’s lawsuit against the federal government. The Central Arizona Project — which operates a 336-mile canal system that carries Colorado River Water to the Phoenix and Tucson areas — did the same less than two weeks later. … Water law experts say this case will take a while to play out, and reading between the lines of its argument, states are propping the door open for a much more consequential court battle some call the “nuclear option.” So, what does the latest lawsuit do, what doesn’t it do, and what does it mean for the future of Arizona’s water?

Other Colorado River management news:

• The New York Times: ‘Poop water’ churns a local election in parched Arizona
• Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Detonation cords found in Glen Canyon Dam not a safety risk, officials say
• Inside Climate News: Colorado River Basin candidates wade into water politics, but winners are unlikely to make big changes
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: Opinion: Time to treat the Colorado River like business infrastructure