San Diego’s Water Deal to Aid Colorado River’s Struggle

A treatment plant in San Diego County, California, could help preserve more water in the Colorado River, benefiting states experiencing serious shortages. The San Diego County Water Authority, after establishing a desalination plant a decade ago, now has an excess water supply. This surplus allows them to consider a significant water trade with Arizona and Nevada.

In this agreement, San Diego might sell some of its rights to Colorado River water to Arizona and Nevada. The water itself won’t physically relocate inland. Instead, San Diego will reduce its allotted draw from the river. This arrangement marks the first considerable water trade among the states sharing claims to the Colorado River.

Scott Cameron, acting director of the Bureau of Reclamation, emphasized the agreement’s importance, highlighting the urgent need to address water shortages that endanger reservoirs and dams. These systems supply water to 40 million people and support 5.5 million acres of farmland in the West.

Further negotiations are necessary to determine the specifics of the water San Diego can offer and the compensation Arizona and Nevada must provide. The process will involve a thorough review of legal precedents spanning over a century, amid an ever-dwindling water supply.

Dan Denham, general manager of the San Diego utility, expressed the urgency of finalizing the deal, stating, “Hydrology is not going to wait for us.” The pressure is on to resolve these complexities in a timely manner, given the dire water situation affecting the region.