A TOAST TO NEW SOLIDARITY ON WATER SUPPLIES

When California and six other Western states failed to meet a Jan. 31 federal deadline for deciding how to allocate water from the drought-ravaged Colorado River that supplies drinking water to 40 million people — 1 in 8 Americans — it was the Golden State that called the others all wet. Citing the labyrinthine world of vested water rights, which guarantees it the most water from the 1,450-milelong river, California objected to a plan backed by the other states — Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico and Utah — on the grounds it should not have to bear an equal share of the federal government’s call for an annual reduction in Colorado River water of at least 15 percent. The biggest part of the state’s allocation goes to the Imperial Irrigation District. That in turn sends a big allotment to the San Diego County Water Authority — which describes the river water as the “cornerstone” of its long-term strategy to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on the giant Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. A looming water war threatened to wreak havoc on Southern California

farmers and residents overall because the Biden administration stressed it had the authority to disregard water compacts that were more than a century old — and because two states hurt by California’s resistance would be the 2024 presidential campaign swing states of Arizona and Nevada.

Now, nearly four months later, common ground seems possible. The Washington Post reports that while crucial details must be resolved, California, Arizona and Nevada representatives agree on basic elements of a voluntary plan to conserve about 13 percent of Colorado River supplies over the next three years. What changed? Fears about federal overreach grew, and a barrage of storms ended California’s long drought and eased supply concerns.

The detente may be only temporary. The climate emergency will bring more hot and dry weather — and more regional water fights. And now, Arizona and Nevada know the feds are willing to disregard California’s legal claims to a disproportionate share of Colorado River supplies. But those are battles for another day. For now, let’s drink to solidarity.