… The push against so-called non-functional turf has spread across Western cities that rely on Colorado River water. … Arizona Department of Water Resources Director Tom Buschatzke wants to nix non-functional turf in areas where housing growth on groundwater has been paused as a sign to other Colorado River basin states that we are using every drop wisely. … Republican Tim Dunn is pushing Senate Bill 1523 to, among other things, prohibit cities from requiring builders to install a minimum amount of non-functional turf in their projects. … Don’t overlook why we are weeding through these details at this moment: Because even though Republican lawmakers are bitterly fighting Buschatzke over how to handle groundwater in metro Phoenix, they agree that some limits on grass could help bolster our negotiating position on the Colorado River.
–Written by opinion columnist Joanna Allhands.

Other Colorado River Basin news:

• Denver 7 (Colo.): Legal battle drags on between Denver Water, environmental groups over Gross Reservoir Dam project
• The Colorado Sun (Denver): Colorado towns protest stricter wastewater permits
• Copper Basin News (Kearney, Ariz): Opinion: Will mining rob the San Pedro and residents of water?
• Audubon: Blog: Working together to pass rural groundwater management in Arizona