Former U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, a longtime Republican lawmaker from Arizona who shaped landmark water policies in the U.S. West and guided the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, has died. He was 84. … Before being elected for the first of his four terms in the House in 1987, Kyl was a key participant in shaping Arizona’s 1980 groundwater code as a lawyer representing a large water utility. The first-of-its-kind code created a regulatory framework for managing groundwater in the drought-stricken state, largely centering on the state’s population centers, including Phoenix and Tucson. In 2004, Kyl authored legislation that provided one of the largest tribal water rights settlements, which, after a decades-long battle, gave the Gila River Indian Community enough water to fill nearly 313,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools annually. 

Related:

• ABC15 (Phoenix): Jon Kyl’s legacy flows through Arizona’s water
• Arizona Capitol Times (Phoenix): Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl dies at 84
• The Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Jon Kyl left legacy as Senate ‘workhorse,’ mentor, colleagues recall
• Cronkite News: Former Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl, 84, remembered for decency and major legacy on Western water policy
• Arizona Department of Water Resources: News release: Statement on the passing of Senator Jon Kyl​