As the Colorado River reaches historically low levels, the Seven States Agreement is under more pressure than ever. California, Arizona, and Nevada are locked in intense negotiations over who must take the deepest cuts. For West Coast agricultural hubs, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Farmers in the Imperial Valley are bracing for a future with less water, potentially shifting the types of crops grown in the region. This article breaks down the complex legal history of water rights and explains why the current drought cycle might necessitate a complete overhaul of how the West manages its most precious resource.
Water Rights and the Colorado River: A Crisis at the Headwaters
