Taft Water and Natural Resources practice leader James Eklund was featured in an October 21, 2026, Bloomberg Law article examining the escalating Colorado River dispute and the prospect of litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court.

The article, “Arizona Puts Colorado River Dispute on Route to Supreme Court,” by reporter Bobby Magill, examines Arizona’s effort to join Nevada’s challenge to federal Colorado River operating guidelines and the growing disagreement over water-sharing obligations among the seven basin states.

Eklund, a former Colorado River Commissioner for Colorado who now represents clients in both the Upper and Lower Basins, emphasized the importance of resolving the dispute through negotiation rather than prolonged litigation.

“The real question isn’t whether the Supreme Court will resolve this dispute,” Eklund said. “It’s whether the seven states are wise enough and strong enough to reach an agreement before that becomes necessary.”

Beyond the legal questions, Eklund warned that years of interstate litigation could create significant economic uncertainty for communities, agriculture, businesses, and water users throughout the West. He advocates a durable, basin-wide approach that recognizes the river’s changing hydrology, addresses competing interests, and provides greater certainty for the region’s future.

Read the full Bloomberg Law article here.

Eklund leads Taft’s Water and Natural Resources practice, advising sovereign governments, multistate authorities, public agencies, and private interests on water law, natural resources, infrastructure, and environmental policy.