‘Arizona Horizon:’ Water conservation, water crisis and developing policies
Water conservation is an important issue in the state of Arizona, and “Arizona Horizon” has featured various stories covering the water crisis and developing policies.
View the episodes below to learn more about water conservation in the Grand Canyon State. Watch “Arizona Horizon” weeknights at 5 p.m. on air or on our YouTube news channel, AZPBS Now, or catch full episodes online later or on the PBS app.
Arizona proposes Colorado River water cuts to avoid shortages – May 7, 2026
Arizona is one of three states that submitted a proposal to federal officials to increase conservation over the next two years. This is intended to help prevent any further decline in the water supply from the Colorado River.
The goal for this proposal is to buy more time to plan out a longer-term deal that incorporates all seven states. This proposal would add up to a million acre-feet a year in water-use reductions, on top of the 1.5 million acre-feet they had already proposed cutting among themselves and Mexico.
Sarah Porter, Director of Kyl Center for Water Policy, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the situation.
Arizona pushes back on Colorado River cuts – April 21, 2026
In its effort to secure rights to the Colorado River water, Arizona recently hired a law firm, as its fight has brought implications for Arizona’s economy.
Danny Seiden, the president of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry said Arizona was “asked to assume far more of the cuts than is fair.” According to him, the state gathered millions for infrastructure, and if more cuts were implemented, they would impose an economic burden on Arizona.
Danny Seiden, president and CEO of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry discussed more on the controversies.
Study finds why Colorado River Basin conservation may fall short – April 20, 2026
A recent study that includes major southwest cities suggests a sobering reality: water conservation will not be enough to secure the region’s water future.
Researchers from Arizona State University and Penn State argue that while cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Denver have made significant gains in reducing water use, those efforts may be outpaced by climate-driven declines in supply. Interestingly, Denver has implemented temporary drought charges.
Dave White, the director of the Global Institute of Sustainability & Innovation at ASU discussed the critical shift that is needed in water policy.
Low snowpack impacts Phoenix water reservoirs – April 6, 2026
Results from a new airborne snow survey over northeastern Arizona found that due to a dry and warm winter, most of the snow water measured in January and February had melted by mid-March, offering water managers an unusually clear view of how quickly the season changed.
Arizona’s mountain snowmelt provides a significant portion of the Phoenix metropolitan water supply. For SRP, even small changes in mountain snowpack can affect how much water eventually flows into reservoirs during the spring melt season.
Enrique Vivoni, the director of the Center for Hydrologic Innovations at Arizona State University discussed the latest findings.
Arizona hires law firm amid Colorado River water usage battle – April 2, 2026
After months of back-and-forth negotiations and two unmet deadlines over its rights to the Colorado River, Arizona is preparing for a legal battle.
The state hired a law firm following a dry winter along the basin, and high temperatures in March have already broken records. The pressure to maintain access to the state’s fair share of river water is growing.
Brandon Loomis, senior environment reporter for “The Arizona Republic discussed Arizona’s potential legal battle.
Colorado River basin states try to come up with a solution to water sharing – Feb. 5, 2026
Governors of Colorado basin states have been battling back and forth over a solution to water sharing. However, a solution has yet to be found.
The Colorado River supports 40 million people reaching from Wyoming to the U.S. Mexico border, alongside an additional 5.5 million acres of farmland, and American Indian tribes.
Basin states remain divided over whether the downstream states of Arizona, California, and Nevada must limit their current water supply to ensure that upstream states like Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming can grow using supplies that were promised a century ago, but stripped by climate change.
In this episode, Tom Buschatzke, Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, discussed the ongoing negotiations.
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation weighs Colorado River drought plans – January 20, 2026
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation is a sub-agency of the Department of the Interior that oversees the water supply for tens of millions of people in the West. The agency recently released a list of options for how it might manage a potential drought-stricken Colorado River in the future.
While the Department of the Interior has outlined the scenarios in detail, they have not identified a preferred option. The plans will only be implemented if all the seven states that depend on the water fail to agree on their own conservation plan.
Sarah Porter, Director of the Kyl Center for Water Policy, discussed the options proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
