Arizona joins Western states in blasting Utah plan to tap Colorado River water
In a highly unusual move, Arizona and five other Colorado River Basin states are challenging a proposed pipeline that would divert to a booming southwestern Utah community almost as much river water as Tucson uses every year.
Six of seven river basin states – all but Utah – wrote the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Tuesday, asking it to delay publishing a final environmental review of the proposed Lake Powell pipeline and making final decision on it. They want the bureau to wait until all seven states take time to “reach consensus regarding outstanding legal and operational concerns” about it.
The letter is highly unusual because until now, the river basin states have managed to work out various issues regarding the management of the over-allocated river without breaking out into major, public disputes. In fact, the letter mentions that history as one reason for seeking the delays on this pipeline.
“The Colorado River Basin states face daunting challenges as populations continue to grow, water demands increase, and supplies diminish,” the states’ letter said. But so far, the states have managed to stave off crippling shortages on the river through a series of collaborative efforts, the letter said.
Read more: https://tucson.com/news/state-and-regional/arizona-joins-western-states-in-blasting-utah-plan-to-tap-colorado-river-water/article_33f3b4c8-f2ae-11ea-8a6a-53aadcd405fb.html#tracking-source=home-top-story