By Tony Davis | Arizona Daily Star
The Central Arizona Project is trying to defuse a dispute over the Colorado River, saying comments on the overallocated river were “insensitive” to Upper Basin states.
Nothing was settled, but pledges were made to improve communication and collaboration between officials of the CAP and the four Upper Colorado River Basin states as they met to hash out differences over managing the Colorado River.
Central Arizona Project officials took several steps to try to patch things up at their meeting Monday with Upper Basin officials who have accused operators of the $4 billion Arizona water project of manipulating river operations to benefit themselves.
For one, they released a statement saying CAP officials regret past comments about their views on managing the over-allocated river that were “insensitive” to concerns of Upper Basin states. They pledged “a more respectful and transparent dialogue in the future” and to collaborate more effectively with the Upper Basin states, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and New Mexico.