Arizona has intervened in Nevada’s legal action against the interior department’s recently announced restrictions on water allocations from the Colorado River. The federal initiative, unveiled earlier in the year, would reduce supplies to lower basin states—Arizona, California, and Nevada—over the next two years based on river conditions.
The Colorado River’s two largest reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, have declined to historically low levels due to excessive consumption and climate factors. These declining levels have created tension among states sharing the waterway, with upper basin states arguing that lower basin states should bear responsibility for shortages and accept larger reductions. After states failed to reach agreement by multiple deadlines, federal officials implemented the proposed cuts.
A central concern is whether reservoir levels could fall to the point where water cannot flow downstream, known as deadpool. The interior department’s decision to exempt upper basin states—Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico—from water cuts has drawn criticism from lower basin state officials.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs stated in a recent announcement that the state is “drawing a line in the sand” and contends the federal government is not holding upper basin states accountable for their water delivery obligations. Hobbs indicated the action aims to protect Arizona’s legal rights while seeking collaborative solutions with California and Nevada. Tom Buschatzke, director of Arizona’s water department, characterized the legal intervention as necessary to safeguard the state’s water interests and preserve opportunities for coordination among lower basin states.
An interior department spokesperson has not yet provided comment on the joint litigation.
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