Arizona Members of Congress Introduce Legislation to Finalize Drought Plan
The DCP Authorization Act outlines how states propose to manage water from the Colorado River in the future.
by Emma Gibson | Arizona Public Media
The Colorado River is a major source of water for Arizona. The management of its supply involves numerous stakeholders and agencies. (Photo courtesy of Central Arizona Project)
Sen. Martha McSally, Rep. Raúl Grijalva and members of Congress from seven Western states have introduced the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization Act.
The drought contingency plan is a water conservation agreement between Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, California and Wyoming. It’s the culmination of several years of negotiations between different water users in the Colorado River Basin, including farmers, cities and Native American tribes.
Over the years, the states decided how they will share the water in the Colorado River as reservoir levels in lakes Mead and Powell continue to drop.