Arizona Fights to Save Its Water Supply

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs wants President Donald Trump to ensure her state continues to receive its fair share of Colorado River water.

In a speech last month, Hobbs, who is up for reelection this year, said the Trump administration's goals rely on "Arizona-made missiles, Arizona-made semiconductors, and Arizona-grown agriculture."

Hobbs has largely avoided criticizing Trump over the Iran war and has proposed lowering gas taxes in the state.

"Governor Hobbs isn't concerned about politics, she wants to do what's right for Arizona, the Colorado River, and America," spokesperson Christian Slater said to Politico.

"She sees an opportunity for the Trump administration to advance a Colorado River deal that strengthens domestic manufacturing, supports national security, and onshores mission-critical supply chains, while also delivering for Arizona's long-term water security," Slater said.

If cuts are made to Colorado River water deliveries as it deals with an ongoing drought, they would impact water supplies to the state's largest cities, like Phoenix and Tucson. The seven Western states that rely on the river remain at an impasse over who should reduce their intake, Politico reported.

"With the ongoing conflict in Iran and the decimation of America's missile supply, Arizona's massive aerospace and defense industry is more important than ever," Hobbs said in a speech. "We literally build the defense systems that keep Americans and our allies safe."

The Interior Department has mainly ruled in favor of other states in the fight, like Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming. In a statement to Politico, Interior said it would follow the rule of law, which would see Arizona face the steepest cuts.

"The Department continues to make management decisions for the river's future while adhering to this established framework, and the Department remains open to consensus proposals from Arizona and other Basin States that can help address the unique conditions poor hydrology causes in each State," Interior said in a statement.

While the White House may not want to give a swing-state governor like Hobbs a win, there is bad blood between Trump and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis.

"It's a win for the President to come in and say, 'Gov. Polis … can't manage his water, can't make good decisions, is destroying his state, so I have to come in like a parent and settle it,'" Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Danny Seiden told Politico.

The Central Arizona Project launched a publicity campaign last month arguing Arizona is being unfairly targeted by the looming cuts, running ads warning cuts to the water supply would cripple the state, flatten the economy, and weaken the nation's defense.

The Interior Department said if there is no deal made among the states, it would finalize its plan for unilaterally managing the river this summer, which could lead to a fight that ends up being decided by the Supreme Court, Politico reported.

River experts told Politico that if the Trump administration tries to intervene on Arizona's behalf, it could compel states to come up with their own deal on how to share the water.

"That might be scary enough to have the Upper Basin states say: 'We have something to lose. Let's come back to the table,'" Rhett Larson, a professor of water law at Arizona State University and legal counsel to the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, told Politico.

"We know we're going to lose a lot of water, it just can't be this much, and it can't be with Upper Basin states having no uncompensated commitments," Larson added.

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