PHOENIX — The U.S. Supreme Court has sided with the state of Arizona in its bid to keep the federal government from actions that could help the Navajo Nation get a larger share of Colorado River water.
In a split decision Thursday, the justices accepted arguments by attorneys for the state that the federal government has no legal obligation to take actions to help the tribe, which spans three states, secure the water it needs. Instead, the majority concluded if the nation wants help, it needs to go to Congress.
The ruling is significant because it means Arizona and other states won’t, at least for the moment, have another player whose interests in the Colorado River need to be considered as decisions are made to reduce and reallocate the river’s increasingly limited supply. A contrary decision could have potentially reduced what is available for Arizona residents.
