We got LOTS of rain last winter. One problem in AZ is that the Saudis are sucking out groundwater for high water need crops that will be exported. Not the best use of a finite resource.
Seriously, we’ve had rain for 8 days, with the prediction of 4 more days of rain. Every. Single. Day. I don’t remember getting this much rain for this long. I’d almost think there was something to this Global Precipitation crisis.
Interesting case. Seems to all hinge on the Treaty itself. Doesn’t mean they don’t have other rights, or ability to negotiate or lobby Congress (or the state) for water rights.
I agree a lot of water is “wasted” on luxury agricultural items. It is wasted in private swimming pools too. And baths. There is plenty of water on earth. With “sea levels rising” as they say, sounds like a good time to invest in desalination. We can clean the sea water and pile the brine up in Arizona and Nevada. And in the process prevent the oceans from drowning New York!
Trouble is, as short supply for water is - it is still not as valuable as oil. So not much interest in large scale water piping projects let alone desalination construction.
Rumors were that it was LBJ's revenge for most states in that region voting against his landslide reelection in 1964. But since Arizona voted against him as well, that didn't make a lot of sense to me.
Arrakiszona
“The decision was released as worldwide climate change has begun to dramatically dry up the desert southwest.”
Yup, the southwest is so dry from climate change that we had near record rain and snow last winter.