kyl.senate.gov

Jon Kyl.

The Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) that Arizona and the six other Colorado River Basin states have been working on to maintain water supplies needs federal approval, and a vital step toward that conclusion was introduced in the Senate this week — the Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Authorization Act.

Arizona brought a variety of stakeholders into the state’s own DCP efforts — including ranchers and Native American tribes — and while the DCP is clearly seen as only one step, it was still an important one.

To get a perspective on what the next post-DCP steps may be, and the unique role tribal entities play in the water realm in Arizona, The Show spoke with former Arizona U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl.

Kyl has been considered a water expert in the state, as he’s been involved in negotiating a number of water-related agreements over his long career.