Water Woes: Colorado River Deadlock Fuels Push to Import “New Water”

November 29, 2025 – Tortolita Alliance

Water Woes XLII No Water~New Water

A recent “Water Woes” post from the Tortolita Alliance looks at the widening gap between shrinking Colorado River supplies and Arizona’s push to secure “new water” through major augmentation projects. It notes that the Basin States missed a federal deadline (11/11/25) to agree on post-2026 Colorado River shortage rules, extending uncertainty around how future cuts will be shared.

The article also summarizes Arizona WIFA’s New Water / Water Augmentation effort, whose stated goal is to import up to 500,000 acre-feet per year within the next 10–15 years.

• Where the “imported” water would come from (per the proposals described):
• Seawater desalination in Mexico, sourcing water from the Sea of Cortez / Gulf of California, with delivery to Arizona via new conveyance and/or Colorado River “exchange” arrangements.
• Potential Pacific Coast desalination (California or Baja California), again relying on direct connection or exchange concepts.
• Potable reuse tied to wastewater flows near the border (including wastewater linked to Tijuana), with deliveries structured through exchanges.
• California groundwater storage and recovery using surplus supplies and storm flows in wet years (including State Water Project supplies and river/storm flows), with Arizona access via exchange mechanisms.

Overall, the article argues that while “new water” importation ideas are gaining momentum, they come with major open questions about cost, environmental impacts, and feasibility, underscoring the need for a durable post-2026 Colorado River agreement.

Read full article here.