Environmental and Natural Resources

Top Five Issues to Watch in Arizona Water Law

by Karlene Martorana Drought on the Colorado River.  Although the winter snowpack in the Rockies is off to a good start and California has seen heavy rainfall this winter, the drought in the southwest is not over.  One wet season cannot overcome the water deficit in reservoirs along the Colorado River caused by the prolonged […]

February 18, 2017 | 3 min read | Tagged: CAP, Colorado River, Drought Contingency Plan, Navajo Generating Station, NGS, reclaimed water, water, water reuse

KM

Karlene E. Martorana Former Counsel

Murky Waters Following the Gold King Mine Spill

by Cynthia M. Chandley In the wake of actions taken on August 5, 2015 by contractors for the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that resulted in the Gold King Mine Spill, western states that rely on water from the Animas River, the San Juan River, and the Colorado River may be left with long-term […]

July 1, 2016 | 2 min read | Tagged: Animas River, Colorado River, Gold King Mine Spill, New Mexico, San Juan River

CC

Cynthia M. Chandley Former Partner

As Lake Mead Dwindles, Arizona and Other Colorado River Basin States Continue to Plan for a Drier Future

by Bill Staudenmaier It has become a familiar refrain.  For each of the past three years, the United States Bureau of Reclamation, which operates the major reservoirs on the Colorado River, has announced a new “record low” water elevation in Lake Mead.  A quick Google search identifies articles or posts discussing this downward trend in […]

June 10, 2016 | 4 min read | Tagged: ADWR, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Arizona Water Banking Authority, Colorado River, Lake Mead, Lower Basin, United States Bureau of Reclamation

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L. William Staudenmaier Partner