HJR 2002 - Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan Summary

• Authorizes the Arizona Department of Water Resources director to enter into drought contingency plan agreements for the Colorado River, including the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan Agreement and the Agreement Concerning Colorado River Drought Contingency Management and Operations.

• Allows Arizona to forbear (temporarily waive) certain water rights under the Arizona v. California Supreme Court decree and the Colorado River Basin Project Act of 1968 to enable flexibility for creating and delivering intentionally created surplus water during shortage conditions.

• Requires two conditions before agreements can be executed: federal legislation must authorize the secretary of interior to implement the agreements, and all other parties must authorize execution of substantially conforming agreements.

• Grants the director authority to enter into a Drought Contingency Plan Contributions and Intentionally Created Surplus Accumulation Limits Sharing Agreement, with future sharing agreements requiring separate legislative resolutions.

• Establishes an August 31, 2019 expiration date for the director's authority to enter into agreements and requires notification to legislative leadership and appropriate committees of any agreements executed.