Arizona Reactivates and Renames DCP Committee to Develop Statewide Perspective on the Future of Colorado River Allocations
by DeEtte Person | CAP
During the successful Drought Contingency Planning (DCP) process that kicked off for Arizona almost exactly two years ago, water issues dominated the headlines. The success of that effort was due to the commitment and hard work of leaders in the water community and a public process focused on the perspectives of varied Arizona stakeholder interests.
Now, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and Central Arizona Project (CAP) are using this same approach to develop an Arizona consensus on the “reconsultation” of the Colorado River Interim Guidelines for Lower Basin Shortages and the Coordinated Operations for Lake Powell and Lake Mead, known as the 2007 Guidelines.
Before the end of 2026, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior will develop new guidelines for the long-term management of the Colorado River system. The Colorado River Basin States will play a leading role in the process to develop those new guidelines. The process will take many years and require multiple levels of discussion, negotiation and coordination within Arizona and among the Basin states.
