California's water deadline on Colorado River tests Newsom's leadership
Biden deadline will impose harsh cuts unless the state stops playing politics.
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California’s game of legal chicken with other Western states over precious Colorado River water is finally on the clock.
As Callaway Climate Insights warned in February, the state’s unwillingness to craft a solution with six other states, especially Arizona, over the past few years this week led the federal government to set a formal deadline for a deal. Gov. Gavin Newsom and California have enjoyed senior legal rights to a bigger share of the water from the drying river and so have not been incentivized to find a solution.
Now, unless it can come up with a better idea than an even distribution of cuts with Arizona and other states, that is exactly what will be imposed on it. There is little chance the government will side with California’s legal status and force cuts of more than 50% to Arizona’s supply, which would essentially stop a primary flow of water to Phoenix and Tucson. Forgetting the humanitarian and economic disaster that would cause, just look at the politics. Arizona is a Biden swing state. California is not.
The Feds cleverly waited until the end of a very wet winter in California, with many reservoirs full after years of drought, to impose their deadline. The Department of the Interior wants a solution in place by August. And it’s calling Newsom’s bluff. Yes, there will be lawsuits, but in existential situations like this, governments don’t fool around. Look no further than Switzerland’s mandatory merger of UBS and Credit Suisse just last month to prevent a global banking crisis, as the government ran roughshod over laws and stakeholder rights alike.
The water wars are finally here, at least in the U.S. West. Prices are rising and a new economic reality is forming over what we once thought was an endless commodity. How Newsom and California react in the next 42 days will tell us a lot about his (its) potential to lead in a time of crisis.
Don’t forget to contact me directly if you have suggestions or ideas at dcallaway@callawayclimateinsights.com.
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“April is a dog’s dream. The soft grass is growing, the sweet breeze is blowing and the air all full of singing feels just right.” — Marilyn Singer, author.