The flow of government funds to Colorado River conservation projects has been halted, even as legal attempts to reverse the decision are underway. This development has prompted concerns from Arizona’s political leaders.
Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego have highlighted that essential Colorado River initiatives are no longer benefiting from financial support initially allocated through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. The Senators warned that this funding freeze might jeopardize the “collaboration and careful planning needed to keep the Colorado River flowing.”
With existing agreements on water allocation set to expire in 2026, discussions had been in progress among states, Tribal nations, and federal entities to forge new arrangements. These federal funds, amounting to billions, were crucial to these negotiations as well as to efforts aimed at drought relief, water access, and conservation.
The situation is particularly urgent as the Lower Colorado River Basin faces “extreme” drought conditions, with key reservoirs significantly depleted.
Efforts to gather responses from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, and U.S. Geological Survey were unsuccessful as these agencies either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for information.
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