Gallego Presses Interior Department on Post-2026 Colorado River Plans

WASHINGTON – During a Senate hearing yesterday, Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) questioned Department of the Interior (DOI) officials on the looming post-2026 operational guidelines for the Colorado River, emphasizing that federal decisions must protect Arizona’s advanced manufacturing sector, domestic food supply, and clean energy grid. Watch the hearing here . In an exchange with Dr. Andrea Travnicek, Assistant Secretary for Water and Science at DOI, Gallego pushed the administration to fully incorporate the near-term conservation proposal submitted by the Lower Basin states—including Arizona—and demanded transparency on when the final federal alternative will be made public. “The Colorado River is a lifeline for Arizona. That water fuels the most advanced manufacturing in the western hemisphere now. We produce 90% of the country’s winter leafy greens. Hydropower from the Glenn Canyon and Hoover Dam helps keep the lights on all over the southwest. Technological advancements such as domestic food supply and energy affordability are all key priorities for the United States, including the president’s agenda,” said Senator Gallego. “The basin cannot wait for perfect consensus. And what we need to understand today is how the department will act to stabilize the system, share risk fairly, and deploy resources at the scale and speed this moment demands.” Gallego also pressed Dr. Travnicek on whether DOI is coordinating with other cabinet agencies to protect critical national priorities, noting that historical water laws must be viewed through the lens of modern economic and hydrological realities. “We have water laws and have prior water settlements, but those were made a long time ago, and the world has changed. And hydrology has changed. The demands of the country have changed. The demands of what the President wants to see coming forward are definitely going to be met more by lower basin resources,” Senator Gallego continued. “Arizona continues to find ways to do more with less and have for quite a while.” In response to Senator Gallego’s questioning, Dr. Travnicek confirmed that the federal water bureau is actively meeting to cross-collaborate on these overlapping economic and agricultural impacts. She also outlined an aggressive federal timeline, noting that the draft environmental documents are scheduled to be released by the end of July, with formal operational decisions occurring in August ahead of a final October 1 deadline for the new operating agreement. Additionally, Senator Gallego reiterated his strong support for the bipartisan Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act , urging the federal government to move swiftly toward a fair resolution. “It is time to reach a fair resolution so that tribes that have lacked water for far too long can have the certainty they deserve,” Gallego added.