Arizona is hoping for consensus but preparing for a possible legal battle as it negotiates a new multistate agreement over how Colorado River water is allocated in the event additional cuts are needed.

The committee also voted in support of two bills that would allow groundwater pumping regulations in protected areas to be lifted in groundwater basins recovered to previous levels.

The result is that the federal Colorado Basin River Forecast Center is now predicting that April through July flows into Powell will be only 76% of normal. That's down from 81% at the beginning of 2025.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department received a $24.5 million award to be used for restoration efforts within the Colorado River Basin.

PHOENIX (AZFamily ... which is crucial to our water supply. Arizona farmers already faced water cuts from their supply of Colorado River water. Now, they’re wondering how a new administration ...

The missive, led by Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee, the new chair of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, continued: “We recognize that negotiating any agreement in the Colorado River Basin is a difficult task, and appreciate all of the work that you have done and will do.”

Learn more about the latest Phoenix area weather forecast and conditions with Most Accurate Forecast from ABC15.

Wednesday morning will likely be the coolest of the work week, with low temperatures in the low to mid-30s and parts of the Valley reaching subfreezing temperatures. By the end of the week, highs will recover to the upper 60s and possibly the low 70s.