Gov. Katie Hobbs feels ‘optimistic’ about Colorado River water rights deal

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Gov. Katie Hobbs says she’s feeling “optimistic” about Colorado River water negotiations following a meeting with governors in other Western states, but doesn’t think a deal will be made by a Feb. 14 deadline.

Last Friday’s meeting in our nation’s capital was initiated by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Gov. Hobbs says it lasted about two hours. The only governor who didn’t attend in person was California Gov. Gavin Newsom, but there was a representative there in his place.

Arizona leaders are offering to take a 27% cut in our share of Colorado River water, but Hobbs doesn’t want to commit to more without sacrifices from the upper basin states. That includes Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

“I think there’s been a precedent to not be optimistic during these negotiations,” Hobbs told Arizona’s Family. “Heading into this meeting, I think almost everyone would describe that negotiations were at an impasse. And there didn’t seem to be a path forward. I don’t think that impasse is completely gone, but I think there is momentum to move forward.”

“Do I think we’ll meet the Feb. 14 deadline? Probably not,” she added. “But we’ll be much closer than we would have been otherwise.”

Not everyone is as optimistic as Gov. Hobbs. At a Central Arizona Project committee meeting on Monday, Stephen Roe, the governor of the Gila River Indian Community, expressed his concerns.

“The prospects for success seem pretty dim at this point,” he said. “But I hope we can remain committed to continuing these efforts, reaching some level of concessions for a path forward.” Roe went on to say Arizona should remain as united as possible.

Arizona’s Family asked Hobbs if there is an agreement made between the states, would it be a 20-year deal or something shorter-term?

“I think there was a sense that if we need to get to a short-term deal to get past the deadlines that are in front of us right now, there is willingness to do that,” she said. “But I think nobody wants to be in a place five years from now, where we’re sitting trying to figure out the next five years because the river needs long-term certainty as well.”

While litigation certainly is not where anyone wants this to head, it’s not entirely off the table. “I don’t want to be in a position where we have to litigate, but to protect Arizona’s Colorado River water users, that is a step I will take if we have to,” she said.

About 40 million people in the U.S. and Mexico rely on Colorado River water, including hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland. About one-third of Arizona’s supply goes to cities and towns, and water experts say that could mean a higher water bill in the future.

For now, Hobbs says negotiators will continue to meet.

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