Is California trying to take our water?

Arizona Daily Star ^ | June 28, 2015 | By Tony Davis

[Brad from Tennessee]

Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and Democratic Rep. Raúl Grijalva don’t agree on much, but both worry California could take Arizona’s water.

The conservative governor and the liberal congressman say Arizona must be vigilant to ensure its drought-parched neighbor doesn’t use federal action to grab some of Arizona’s Colorado River supply.

Of particular concern is a California drought bill that’s been quietly negotiated for months in the U.S. Senate.

“The secrecy generates concern and nervousness. Nobody I know in Arizona knows what’s in this bill at this point,” says Chuck Cullom, who manages Colorado River issues for the Central Arizona Project, the canal system that brings the river water to Phoenix, Tucson, tribes and farms.

The two states have fought over water many times, and any threat from giant California has always been a potent Arizona rallying cry. California, after all, has much more political clout: 53 members in the House of Representatives compared to Arizona’s nine. And California’s water situation is much worse than Arizona’s, which has done far more than its neighbor over the years to conserve water and prepare for shortages. . .

[TheDon]

Correct. Oregon is also having a drought in the southern part of the state. It’s a win all around. Southern Oregon could tap some of the water and the whole state gets paid for the water they divert to northern Califoria rather than the Pacific Ocean.

[markman46]

thanks for the map

[GeronL]

didn’t Oregon offer to sell Calipornia many billions of gallons of water....