PHOENIX — PHOENIX — A plan to address a shrinking supply of water on a river that serves 40 million people in the U.S. West is headed to President Donald Trump.
The U.S. House and Senate approved the Colorado River drought contingency plan on Monday.
Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming spent years negotiating the drought plan. They aim to keep two key reservoirs from falling so low they cannot deliver water or produce hydropower.
Mexico has promised to store water in Lake Mead on the Arizona-Nevada border if the U.S. legislation is approved by April 22.
State water managers and federal officials have cited a prolonged drought, climate change and increasing demand for the river’s flows as reasons to cut back on water usage. The agreement runs through 2026.
