The U.S. government needs to launch a massive federal public works program to build more infrastructure to help Arizona and other Southwestern states cope with impending Colorado River water cutbacks, said U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego and Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. “We’re going to have to have a massive government works program like what created the CAP, to help towns update their water systems … to create and conserve water, to make up for the loss we are going to end up taking,” Gallego said Friday at a “Water Summit” panel discussion in Tucson. He was talking about the construction of the 330-mile-long Central Arizona Project canal system that delivers drinking and irrigation water to the Tucson and Phoenix areas.

Other Colorado River management news:

• AP News: Colorado River plan to cut water amid drought brings uncertainty for cities and farmers
• Aspen Journalism (Colo.): River District concerned legal tools for conservation program could favor some regions over others
• SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): “Over our dead bodies” likely response to Arizona proposal to harvest California rivers to fill its water gap
• Utah Public Radio: Colorado River cuts could be achieved with agricultural water leasing
• Moab Sun News (Utah): A Grand County commissioner joins Utah’s Colorado River board as the river hits bottom
• Grist: Nevada preached peace on the Colorado River. Now it’s suing to protect its water.
• Arizona Farm Bureau: Blog: Water deal could upend the narrative about agriculture
• The Land Desk: Blog: On “simple solutions” to the Western water problem