Western states are brawling over the future of the Colorado River — with President Donald Trump looming in the background. Talks kicking off Tuesday in Las Vegas will help determine whether the Trump administration has to step in and take the political heat of deciding how to divide the shrinking river’s water supplies among powerful industries and more than 40 million people — a fight that includes the swing states of Arizona and Nevada, politically influential farmers and ranchers, and burgeoning semiconductor and artificial intelligence companies. It’s the highest-stakes water fight the U.S. has seen in more than a century. 

Other Colorado River negotiations news:

• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Denver, Phoenix seek similar solutions to shrinking Colorado River
• FOX13 (Salt Lake City, Utah): What some Utah leaders want to see out of this week’s Colorado River meetings
• E&E News by Politico: Q&A: Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs on Colorado River talks
• FOX5 (Carson City, Nev.): Nevada governor calls for renewed Colorado River negotiations
• Politico: Governors are jumping into the Colorado River
• Inkstain: Blog: Colorado River deadlines & incentives