As the seven Colorado River Basin States continue to disagree and negotiate a new plan for water rights, President Trump nominated Ted Cooke as the commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Cooke will face confirmation by the Senate.

 

He was the former manager of the Central Arizona Project - the management entity of the state's share for the river - from 2015 to 2023 and has experience working in water distribution. The nomination was submitted on June 16. If confirmed, he would become the main federal official overseeing the Colorado River. This comes as the seven states face a deadlock ahead of the 2026 deadline. If an agreement doesn't come to fruition, the federal government will step in and make decisions.