Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego on said last week the federal government’s plan for cuts to Colorado River water supplies would unfairly impact Phoenix and Arizona and urged for a more even distribution of cuts among the seven basin states.
“Municipalities, other Colorado River users and our national economy deserve a fair, viable plan that requires all seven states to live with a smaller river to secure an equitable future for all,” Gallego said in an introductory statement Tuesday, Jan. 27, during last week's city council meeting.
The negotiated water rights between the seven states expire at the end of this year. State leaders were scheduled to meet Friday, Jan. 30 to try to strike a deal by a Feb. 14 deadline set by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, after states failed to meet an earlier deadline in November.
If basin states cannot come to an agreement, the federal government will need to decide allocations for 2027.
The river is facing historic shortages due to decades of drought. The Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the water, is planning cuts to current water rights to try to gradually replenish the river.
According to Gallego, the bulk of the proposed cuts would fall on central Arizona with no cuts to the four Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
“This is unacceptable and ignores the devastating ramifications for our population and our national economy,” Gallego said. “We did not cause the long-term drought and should not alone bear the consequences of a smaller river.”
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego speaks about the shortage on the Colorado River during the Tuesday, Jan. 27 Phoenix City Council meeting.
(Courtesy city of Phoenix)
In addition to 1.5 million acre-feet per year allocated to Mexico, The Upper Basin states and those in the Lower Basin — Arizona, California and Nevada — receive 7.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water per year. Historically, the Lower Basin states have used nearly all that annual allocation while the Upper Basin states use only about 4.5 million acre-feet.
Arizona water leaders are arguing the two groups should not be considered equal. During the December meeting of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association board of directors, the group’s Executive Director Warren Tenney relayed to the board that the Central Arizona Project recently put out stats suggesting three Lower Basin states account for 75% of both the population and economy of the seven states, 74% of the jobs and 78% of the crop sales. Also, 25 of the 30 tribal communities in the Colorado River Basin are in the Lower Basin.
Gallego said the importance of Colorado River water to Arizona cities, via the Central Arizona Project, “cannot be overstated.”
Gallego pointed out that Phoenix has a diverse water portfolio that includes more than half of the city’s water from the Salt River Project, along with water from the Colorado River, ground water and reclaimed wastewater. However, she noted other Valley cities are more reliant on Colorado River water.
“If even one central Arizona municipal proprietor is perceived to be unable to meet the water needs of its community, it will deal a really difficult blow to Arizona’s economy and our national economy, not to mention the interruptions to everyday life of Arizona residents,” Gallego said.
Vice Mayor Kesha Hodge Washington, who represents Phoenix on the AMWUA board, thanked the mayor for highlighting the upcoming negotiations.
“This is something that we all need to be united on, and it’s something that we need to take very seriously,” Hodge Washington said.
Gallego also highlighted what she called Phoenix’s “incredible legacy of water stewardship.” City data through 2023 shows Phoenix has consistently reduced its per capita water usage, so much so that the city’s overall water usage is below what it was in the late 1990s and early 2000s, despite the population having grown by several hundred thousand people in that time.
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Mark Carlisle
Associate Editor | Phoenix
mcarlisle@iniusa.org
Meet Mark
Mark Carlisle joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2017, covering Glendale. He has since moved to the Daily Independent team, primarily covering the city of Phoenix along with other topics affecting the Valley at-large.
Community: Mark enjoys taking his two young sons to parks, the Phoenix Zoo, the Phoenix Public Library and other fun events around the Valley. He also participates in a local book club.
Education: Chapman University with a BA in English Journalism and one in Screenwriting.
Random Fact: Mark worked at a tuxedo shop in college. Just don’t ask him to tie a bowtie.
Hobbies: Spending time with his wife, sons and dog, watching sports and TV shows, listening to audiobooks and occasionally writing fiction or designing a board game.
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