On Friday, July 17, 2026, Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) signed onto a bipartisan letter led by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV) urging House leadership to include emergency funding for the Colorado River Basin in the upcoming supplemental appropriations package. The appeal was addressed to House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, and Appropriations Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro.
In the letter, the representatives called for resources to support water infrastructure investments and upgrades, along with additional funding for long-term water reduction, conservation, and augmentation planning.
The Colorado River provides drinking water for roughly one in ten Americans, irrigates 90% of the nation’s winter produce crops, and powers 2.5 million people through the Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams. It also fuels critical industries throughout the Southwest, including agriculture, advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, and outdoor recreation.
Persistent drought has left river flows running roughly 20% below 20th-century averages, and a record-low snowpack this year is projected to push water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead even lower by the end of 2026. Without renewed federal support or a substantial shift in weather patterns, the crisis will likely deepen and complicate ongoing negotiations for a post-2026 operating agreement among the Basin states.
To view the letter to House leadership, please click here.
This is not the first time Rep. Crane has pushed for a responsible approach to managing the Colorado River. In March, he joined Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) and other Republican members of Arizona’s congressional delegation in a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. It urged withdrawal of a draft plan that would place all required water cuts on the Lower Basin, with Arizona shouldering a disproportionate share, while allowing Upper Basin states to increase their use.
The delegation noted Arizona has used its Colorado River allocation efficiently for decades and has more than doubled its population over the past 40 years while using less water. They argued that any future agreement must distribute cuts fairly across the Basin.
To view the letter to Secretary Burgum, please click here.
“Arizonans have done their part to conserve and use their water allocation efficiently, but the historic drought facing the Colorado River Basin requires additional investment in Lower Basin states,” said Rep. Crane. “I’m grateful to Rep. Titus for building a bipartisan coalition to bring attention to this urgent issue. In addition to securing investment, I’m hopeful the Basin states can reach a long-term agreement that distributes cuts fairly, rather than placing the burden solely on the Lower Basin.”