The seven Western states that use the Colorado River are on the hook to come up with a new agreement for sharing water by Saturday, and it does not appear that they will have a deal by the deadline. Negotiators from those states have been deadlocked for the better part of two years. The Colorado River supplies water to the Phoenix and Tucson areas through the Central Arizona Project. It also feeds nearly 40 million people and a massive agricultural industry. The river is in the grips of a megadrought stretching back more than two decades, and policymakers have struggled to agree on ways to rein in demand. After months of talks, they can’t agree on who should feel the pain of necessary cutbacks.

Other Colorado River news:

• Daily Independent (Sun City, Ariz.): ‘No one is expecting’ a Colorado River agreement by Saturday deadline, Valley water official says
• Las Vegas Review-Journal (Nev.): Record warm winter could lead Colorado River states to court over compact
• KJZZ (Phoenix): Colorado River states are staring down a Feb. 14 deadline. Here’s what might happen next
• Herald/Review (Sierra Vista, Ariz.): Arizona House Republicans urge Interior to reconsider draft Colorado River proposal
• KPBS (San Diego): Federal deadline for Colorado River water negotiations is Saturday
• Pagosa Daily Post (Colo.): Opinion: Colorado River is not interested in our agreements of the past