Tuesday Top of the Scroll: Colorado River tribes say feds left them out of final shortage talks
Arizona’s largest and most senior water rights holder says it was left out of final discussions about the federal government’s proposed plan to deal with ongoing water shortages in the Colorado River. The plan, issued by the Bureau of Reclamation on July 31, outlines several alternative paths to preserving water levels in the Colorado’s two major reservoirs, lakes Mead and Powell. … The Colorado River Indian Tribes submitted a letter to the bureau Aug. 2 outlining its concerns. CRIT holds the most senior tribal water rights on the lower river and 23% of Arizona’s entire allocation of the Colorado. The tribe said Reclamation had shared documents regarding the process to publish the final environmental impact statement with the seven basin states but did not extend that same courtesy to the tribe.
Other Colorado River management news:
- Arizona Daily Star (Tucson): Gila River Indian Community blasts US’s Colorado River plan
- High Country News (Paonia, Colo.): Federal plan makes steep Colorado River water cuts to Arizona, California and Nevada
- KJZZ (Phoenix): Arizona cities will likely get less Colorado River water. Here’s why they won’t go dry
- FOX10 (Phoenix): Arizona farmers warn Colorado River water cuts could raise prices on food, everyday goods
- KAWC (Yuma, Ariz.): Arizona lawmakers criticize federal Colorado River proposal
- White Mountain Independent (Show Low, Ariz.): Colorado River plan could sharply cut Arizona supply as Apache County drought persists
- WyoFile (Cheyenne): Colorado River plan spares Wyoming from major cuts
