Arizona cities are pressing for clearer answers on water they stored underground as the state prepares for possible Colorado River cuts.
KJZZ reported that Phoenix-area cities and the Arizona Water Banking Authority are in disagreement over how stored Colorado River water should be distributed during shortages. Since the late 1990s, excess Colorado River water has been stored underground as a backup supply. With new river rules expected and cuts likely for Central Arizona Project users, cities want to know how much water they will be allowed to recover, when it would be available, and what requirements may come with it.
The question is not just how much water exists underground. It is also how the Water Bank decides who gets access and how much should be saved for future shortages. KJZZ reported that Water Bank officials are considering policies that could limit distribution or require cities to show conservation efforts before receiving stored water.
Scottsdale is also adding to its stored-water portfolio. KJZZ reported that the city approved an $8.25 million purchase of water credits from Harquahala Valley through the Central Arizona Project. The credits represent water stored underground for future use. According to KJZZ, the purchase amounts to about 15,000 acre-feet of water and brings Scottsdale’s long-term water credits to just under 300,000 acre-feet.
The purchase shows how cities are looking beyond current deliveries and preparing for uncertainty. Stored credits can help provide backup during shortages, but they still depend on access, recovery, and long-term management.
Drought conditions are also affecting Arizona counties. Congressman Eli Crane’s office reported that the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued drought disaster designations for several Arizona counties. Gila, Pinal, and Yuma counties were elevated to primary disaster status in a later designation, while other counties were listed as contiguous. The designations can help make agricultural assistance available to eligible producers affected by drought.
Groundwater recharge remains part of the broader water planning conversation. Agri-Pulse reported that California lawmakers are again trying to address permitting delays for groundwater recharge projects. The bill discussed in the report would give farmers and water agencies more flexibility to capture high flows and move water underground when wet conditions allow. Supporters say current permitting can be too slow for short windows of available water.
The issue connects to Arizona’s own recharge discussions. Across the West, water managers are looking at ways to store more water underground during wet periods so communities and farms have more flexibility during dry years.
The legal side of western water also continues to grow. The Colorado Sun reported that the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to hear Nebraska’s lawsuit against Colorado over the proposed Perkins Canal. Nebraska says the canal is needed to bring South Platte River water into Nebraska under a 1923 compact. Colorado officials say the state is complying with the compact and will defend its water rights.
The case is separate from the Colorado River, but it reflects the same larger pressure seen across the West: older water agreements are being tested as drought, growth, and demand increase.
Colorado River negotiations also remained active. The Office of New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham released a statement from Upper Basin governors on ongoing Basin negotiations. The statement came as the seven Colorado River Basin states continue working toward future operating rules for the river after 2026.
Taken together, the July reports show water planning moving through several channels at once. Cities are asking how much stored water they can recover. Scottsdale is buying additional credits. Arizona counties are facing drought disaster designations. California is working on groundwater recharge permitting. Western states are dealing with compact disputes, and Colorado River Basin states are still negotiating future rules.
The shared issue is reliability. Water users are not only asking how much water is available now, but how much can be accessed, stored, recovered, and protected in the years ahead.
What does this mean for CRIT?
For CRIT, this Brief shows that water planning is not only about legal rights or water amounts. It is also about whether water can be delivered, stored, recovered, and used when shortages happen.
KJZZ’s reporting on Arizona cities and stored Colorado River water shows how important access and infrastructure have become in shortage planning. That connects to CRIT’s ongoing work through its Water Code and Water Resiliency Act, which helps guide how Tribal water resources are protected and managed as Basin conditions change.
The drought disaster designations also matter because agriculture remains closely tied to water use, local economies, and long-term planning. While CRIT’s senior Colorado River rights are different from junior-priority CAP supplies or municipal water credits, the regional shift toward storage, recharge, and drought response remains important to follow.
Sources
Rep. Eli Crane
https://crane.house.gov/2026/07/08/rep-crane-applauds-usda-drought-disaster-designations-for-arizona-counties/
Colorado Sun
https://coloradosun.com/2026/07/08/scotus-accepts-nebraska-lawsuit-against-colorado-over-perkins-canal/
Office of New Mexico Governor
https://www.governor.state.nm.us/newsroom/release-upper-basin-governors-issue-statement-on-colorado-river-basin–100002725