Arizona is gearing up for a potential legal showdown to safeguard its water rights amid growing tensions over the Colorado River's dwindling supply.

Funding from the Inflation Reduction Act was allocated to conserve water and protect habitat, but President Trump's executive order put that spending on pause.

The Interior Department will consider five options as it works to develop a new framework to govern Colorado River water cuts after current guidelines expire in 2026, according to a new report released by the agency.

Experts anticipate about a 1-foot rise in water levels, brining the river stage to 3.5 feet. For reference, the flood stage starts at 23 feet.

Arizona is hoping for consensus but preparing for a possible legal battle as it negotiates a new multistate agreement over how Colorado River water is allocated in the event additional cuts are needed.

Anne Castle said in her resignation letter that President Donald Trump's politicization of California water issues is undercutting delicate negotiations

The result is that the federal Colorado Basin River Forecast Center is now predicting that April through July flows into Powell will be only 76% of normal. That's down from 81% at the beginning of 2025.

The missive, led by Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, the new chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, continued: “We recognize that negotiating any agreement in the Colorado River Basin is a difficult task, and appreciate all of the work that you have done and will do.”

Congressional Democrats and Republicans are trying to revive a Colorado River water conservation program called “essential” as the new Trump administration attempts to freeze its

The Biden administration claimed a victory on Friday, saying it had "successfully staved off a crisis in the Colorado River Basin in the short term and set it up for success in the years ahead."

The committee also voted in support of two bills that would allow groundwater pumping regulations in protected areas to be lifted in groundwater basins recovered to previous levels.

Colorado River Water Conservation District receives $40 million to secure Shoshone water rights, ensuring healthy river flows for decades.