States set for a showdown in the west over water rights
States in the parched American west are ‘‘sharpening their knives’’ as a historic drought threatens their water supplies and the federal government reluctantly contemplates stepping in to impose rationing.
The political tensions boiled over this week with the announcement that the deadline for a deal had passed, with the threat of Uncle Sam stepping in and enforcing restrictions now looming large.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming are fighting over water from the Colorado River, which is relied on by 40 million people in the US and Mexico and supports billions of dollars in agricultural production in the region.
The river has been severely depleted by a drought, which scientists say is the worst for 1200 years, exacerbated by climate change.
Lake Mead, the nation’s largest manmade reservoir, is less than a quarter full and is approaching the point where it will not have enough water to produce hydroelectric power at the Hoover Dam.
This week the lack of water and the tensions between the states was brought into stark relief with the Bureau of Reclamation’s announcement that they had failed to reach an agreement on how to cut their water use by at least 15 per cent.
That resulted in Arizona and Nevada losing some of the water they can draw from the Colorado River. It also piled on the pressure for officials responsible for supplying their cities and farms with water in the face of a warming, drier climate and a growing population.
‘‘The system is approaching a tipping point,’’ said Camille Touton, the bureau commissioner. ‘‘Protecting the system means protecting the people of the American west.’’
So far, the warning has gone unheeded. Kyle Roerink, executive director of the Great Basin Water Network, has criticised the states for their failure to find a solution.
‘‘Instead of singing it appears they’re sharpening their knives,’’ he said. ‘‘Everybody has their own interpretation of what they’re entitled to and what they think they should or shouldn’t do to help solve this problem.
‘‘We’re at the point where folks are digging in their heels and they’re saying we’re not going to back down.’’
Water rights in the region have been a source of contention for decades. Arizona, one of the nation’s fastest-growing states, is furious that it is losing 21% of its share – an additional 80,000 acrefeet of water – while California will not lose any. An acre-foot is equivalent to an acre of land covered by 12 inches of water. An average household uses between one-half and one acre-foot of water a year.
Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said it was unacceptable for his state to make further cuts while others did nothing. ‘‘The world has changed,’’ he said, referencing the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968, which granted California advantages over Arizona when it came to water usage. ‘‘We shouldn’t continue to have to take the brunt of the costs. Those who benefit from the river should also contribute to protecting the river.’’
The agriculture industry uses about three-quarters of the water supply from the river and residents in the states affected by restrictions have begun asking loudly why farmers cannot take on more of the burden.