Gov. Hobbs reaffirms Arizona’s Colorado River priorities

• Governor Hobbs met with top federal water official to advocate for Arizona.
• She became the first Arizona Governor to address the ARC directly.
• Hobbs stressed conservation, tribal rights, and a balanced interstate deal.
• Arizona’s Colorado River use is at a 40-year low, according to the Governor.
• She endorsed Ted Cooke for Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner.

Thursday, June 19, 2025 — On Tuesday, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs met in Phoenix with Acting Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Scott Cameron to reinforce Arizona’s priorities in the ongoing Colorado River negotiations. Cameron is currently the Trump Administration’s lead official on the issue. Hobbs used the meeting to emphasize the need for a fair and lasting agreement among the seven states that share the river.

Following their discussion, Hobbs delivered remarks to the Arizona Reconsultation Committee, the body responsible for defining the state’s role in the post-2026 Colorado River operations framework. It marked the first time a sitting Arizona Governor has addressed the Committee.

Call for a Fair Deal.

Governor Hobbs told the Committee that Arizona has already made difficult water cuts but will not continue to absorb more than its fair share. “Arizona has always risen to the moment to solve its water challenges, and under my leadership, we will do so again,” Hobbs said. “Our state has already made real sacrifices, but we will not shoulder this burden alone. We need a balanced deal that includes real commitments from all basin states.”

Arizona’s Water Achievements and Demands.

Hobbs outlined several areas where Arizona has demonstrated leadership:

• Arizona created its first new rural groundwater Active Management Area in over four decades, located in the Willcox Basin.

• The state has implemented multiple conservation programs that have collectively saved millions of acre-feet of Colorado River water.

• Lower Basin water consumption, Hobbs said, is now at its lowest point in over 40 years.

• The Yuma area’s agriculture supplies the majority of winter leafy greens consumed in the United States and Canada.

• Emerging industries in advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence rely on dependable water supplies.

• Arizona is home to 22 of the 30 Colorado River tribes, and Hobbs noted the legal obligation to respect tribal water rights.

Support for Ted Cooke.

Governor Hobbs also voiced support for the nomination of Ted Cooke as Commissioner of the Bureau of Reclamation. She called him “a supremely qualified water manager who is respected across the Colorado River basin and will provide a balanced and measured approach to our most pressing water issues.”

Federal Response and Next Steps.

Assistant Secretary Cameron acknowledged Arizona’s past contributions and expressed the Department of the Interior’s ongoing support for a basin-wide solution. He said the federal government will continue to offer infrastructure and conservation funding to aid the negotiations.

Governor Hobbs concluded her appearance with a direct message: “We must move forward with urgency, creativity, and cooperation. Our future depends on it, and Arizona is ready to lead.”

Image of Scott Cameron and Gov. Hobbs via the Governor’s News Release.

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