A significant group of Valley mayors have joined together as a nonpartisan effort to advocate and protect the state’s supply of Colorado River water.

The group, along with officials with the Central Arizona Project, kicked off the Coalition for Protecting Arizona’s Lifeline during the annual Arizona League of Cities and Towns conference in Scottsdale this week.

“Here in Phoenix and across the state, we rely on the Colorado River. Our cities depend on this water to sustain our communities, grow our economies and protect our future. Arizona must come together to defend and secure this vital resource,” said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego in a press release.

The move comes as Arizona has been mired in a more than two-decade drought that has left supplies along the river dwindling and reservoirs like Lake Mead at levels that have triggered cuts to Arizona’s water supply.

Another year of cuts will be on the table for Arizona after the federal Bureau of Reclamation released data Aug. 15 on the state of reservoirs along the Colorado River. Lake Mead, which supplies Arizona, California and Nevada with water, was found to be still in what officials said was in need of cuts.

Arizona will lose another 512,000 acre-feet of water next year as a result. An acre-foot of water equals about 326,000 gallons, or enough water for three single-family homes annually.

The seven Colorado River basin states have been in negotiations on how to divide the river’s water going forward as drought conditions continue. Arizona has junior rights on the river, meaning it will be the first impacted by cuts. Agreements of how to divide the water expire in 2026.

“As the basin prepares for the transition to post-2026 operating guidelines, the urgency for the seven Colorado River Basin states to reach a consensus agreement has never been clearer. We cannot afford to delay,” said Department of the Interior’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Scott Cameron in a press release. “The health of the Colorado River system and the livelihoods that depend on it are relying on our ability to collaborate effectively and craft forward-thinking solutions that prioritize conservation, efficiency, and resilience.”

The river supplies water to more than 40 million people across its basin that include cities, farms and tribal communities.

“Central Arizona’s share of the Colorado River is foundational to our water planning, land-use decisions, economic security and national defense,” said Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board President Terry Goddard in a press release. “We thank these mayors for coming together in the Coalition for Protecting Arizona’s Lifeline to advocate for our water future.”

In Arizona, CAP officials said the newly formed coalition comes at a critical time in negotiations for what will be Arizona’s water future.

“The coalition represents many diverse desert communities that have one thing in common – they are water smart,” said Brenda Burman, CAP general manager, in a press release. “These cities have shown that it’s possible to conserve water while fostering resilient economies and creating communities people are proud to call home.”

The idea for the coalition was brought together by Gallego along with Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero and Surprise Mayor Kevin Sartor. All said they need more voices to discuss how cities have worked to reduce water use and to fight to protect the state’s allocation of water.

“Any dramatic reduction or reallocation of Colorado River water that CAP delivers to its users would have significant negative implications for our total quality of life, economy and the security of our country,” said Romero in a press release. “We want to make it clear through this coalition and our collaboration that water security is not a partisan issue. It is a shared Arizona priority that transcends political lines and regional divisions.”