Nevada water leaders still aren’t pleased about the federal government’s framework of cuts to water from the Colorado River, but they say that suing other states to maximize their water rights remains an absolute last resort. ”Our first, second and third choice is negotiation and cooperation,” John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority and Nevada’s lead negotiator on river rights, said during an annual water conservation summit hosted by Rep. Susie Lee (D-NV) in Las Vegas on Wednesday. But he emphasized that Nevada has a right to fight. “At the end of the day, we have to protect our legal interests,” Entsminger said. “We’re not just going to lose if negotiations fail. We will protect the people of Nevada.”

Other Colorado River management news:

• Las Vegas Review-Journal: ‘The crisis is now’: Nevada stares down unprecedented Colorado River cuts
• KSNV (Las Vegas): Lake Mead hits record low as Nevada water agencies face lawsuits over conservation​
• Las Vegas Sun: Nevada water official seeking short-term solutions amid stalled Colorado River talks
• KVVU (Las Vegas): Nevada water chief says Southern Nevada is most prepared city on Colorado River for federal cuts
• KSL (Salt Lake City): Utah adds 4 to its board that seeks to ‘defend’ its Colorado River water
• Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Arizona warns feds of ‘catastrophic’ harm from Colorado River plan
• KTAR (Phoenix): Arizona’s tribal, rural communities will bear the brunt as Colorado River plan fails to stabilize
• Wyoming News Now (Landers): Wyoming State Engineer breaks down Colorado River developments, talks Wyoming’s fit