As Colorado River supplies remain under pressure, water agencies are investing in infrastructure to secure future deliveries while federal officials consider how declining reservoir levels affect hydropower and the river’s ecosystem.
One of the latest developments involves the Navajo Nation. Smart Water Magazine reported that the Bureau of Reclamation awarded an $81 million contract to Carstensen Contracting for construction of the final major segment of the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project in New Mexico.
The project is intended to bring reliable drinking water to nearly 250,000 people on the Navajo Nation and surrounding communities, fulfilling a longstanding water rights settlement. The newly awarded contract covers a pipeline connecting the Frank Chee Willetto Reservoir, east of Shiprock, to the San Juan Lateral Water Treatment Plant.
The San Juan Lateral is now more than 75% complete, with initial deliveries targeted for late 2028 and full completion expected by the end of 2029. Once finished, the broader Navajo-Gallup project will include approximately 300 miles of pipeline, two water treatment plants, and 19 pumping plants, addressing a longstanding infrastructure challenge in communities where many households still rely on hauling water.
In Arizona, cities are also developing additional water supplies ahead of federal Colorado River reductions.
12News reported that Peoria is spending $104 million on a water farm west of Tonopah to strengthen its long-term water supply. The investment is part of the city’s preparation for reduced Colorado River deliveries and reflects how communities are looking beyond their existing allocations to secure water for future needs.
Meanwhile, conditions at the Basin’s two largest reservoirs continue to influence federal water management decisions.
KLAS reported that two-year projections show Lake Mead potentially declining by approximately 40 feet while Lake Powell rises by a similar amount. The projected changes highlight how operations at one reservoir are connected to conditions throughout the Colorado River system.
Circle of Blue also examined how low water levels at Lake Powell are affecting decisions at Glen Canyon Dam. According to the report, the Bureau of Reclamation decided against certain environmental water releases this year because of concerns about hydropower generation.
Those releases would have helped rebuild eroded sandbars in the Grand Canyon and provided colder water to limit the reproduction of invasive smallmouth bass, which threaten native fish such as the humpback chub.
The proposed environmental releases would change the timing or temperature of water passing through Glen Canyon Dam rather than the total amount released over the year. However, using the dam’s bypass tubes would reduce electricity generation.
Reclamation said it is considering other measures to protect native fish, including removing invasive species and studying infrastructure that could regulate downstream water temperatures.
Water quality is also receiving attention elsewhere in Arizona.
KTAR reported that the Upper Verde River is nearing designation as an Outstanding Arizona Water, the state’s highest level of surface water quality protection. The designation would help protect the river from new discharges that permanently degrade its water quality.
The Upper Verde supports drinking water supplies, recreation, and habitat for several threatened and endangered species.
Together, these developments show how water management across the Basin involves more than dividing available supplies. Tribal communities are working toward reliable water deliveries, Arizona cities are developing additional resources, federal officials are balancing hydropower and ecosystem needs, and state agencies are considering stronger protections for rivers.
What does this mean for CRIT?
The Navajo-Gallup pipeline development is especially relevant because it illustrates the difference between holding water rights and having the infrastructure necessary to use them.
The project is fulfilling a longstanding Tribal water rights settlement by creating the physical system needed to deliver water to Navajo communities. It provides another example of how Tribal water management involves legal rights, infrastructure, federal commitments, and long-term planning.
Peoria’s investment also reflects how Arizona communities are responding to anticipated Colorado River reductions. CRIT holds senior Colorado River rights, placing the Tribe in a different position than many users dependent on junior-priority Central Arizona Project water. However, regional changes in water supplies and infrastructure remain relevant to the larger Basin.
The Glen Canyon Dam reporting connects to CRIT’s Personhood Resolution because it addresses the relationship between river operations and ecosystem health. Decisions about water releases can affect fish populations, sediment movement, river temperatures, and other environmental conditions throughout the Colorado River system.
Sources
Smart Water Magazine: “Reclamation awards $81 million contract for final major segment of Navajo-Gallup pipeline”
12News Phoenix: “Peoria spending $104 million on water farm west of Tonopah”
KLAS 8 News Now: “2-year projections show Lake Mead giving up 40 feet while Lake Powell rises by the same”
Circle of Blue: “At Glen Canyon Dam, Trump Administration Privileges Hydropower over Ecosystems”
KTAR News: “Upper Verde River on verge of earning state’s highest water quality protection level”
https://ktar.com/arizona-water-news/verde-river-outstanding-protection