By Andrew Nicla and Dustin Gardiner | Arizona Republic
Arizona lawmakers appear on track to pass a Colorado River drought plan, with less than 30 hours to go before a critical federal deadline.
A state Senate committee voted 6-1 Wednesday evening to pass a pair of measures that outline how the state would share looming cutbacks on the river’s water and work with other states to take less.
The bills now head to the full Senate and House. Both chambers are expected to pass the bills Thursday, an effort that could stretch into the night as they rush to meet a federal deadline.
Arizona is the last state to sign onto the Drought Contingency Plan, the intrastate agreement to keep Lake Mead levels from plunging to critical levels.