Imperial County, at the bottom right of the image, gets 100% of its water from the Colorado River. All major metro areas of California have at least 50% imported water. And that’s why Arizona, which also relies on water from the Colorado, wants California to have sustainable water management.
A basic tenet of Arizona water management system is that we must concern ourselves with California’s water management system. No, it is not not just because California is our likeable neighbor to the west. Because both states rely on the Colorado River to meet big chunks of municipal and agricultural water demand, Arizona’s concern is simply based on self-interest. Stresses in California’s in-state water supplies could lead to increased stresses on the Colorado River – bad news for the entire basin.