2021 Articles

Deanna Ikeya, Central Arizona Project, Senior Water Policy Analyst

Bartlett Lake Dam

Deanna Ikeya is a Senior Water Policy Analyst for the Central Arizona Project. CRWUA asked her two questions ahead of this year’s conference:

Deanna Ikeya

What makes you optimistic about the future of the Colorado River Basin?

What an interesting question – I know, there is quite a bit of negative news around the Basin right now with the reservoirs being so low, the first year of Shortage operations coming, and the projections for even lower elevations in the reservoirs. What keeps me optimistic is the energy of the people working in the Basin and their willingness to work together. I get to meet and work with people throughout the Basin that are incredibly smart, passionate about their work, can imagine a path forward and are bold enough to forge that path. And there are certainly many varied interests on the River, but I think most people know that we have to work together to come to solutions and that seems to be happening.

What do you think the “Law of the River” will look like going forward?

The “Law of the River” has been evolving over the century and it will likely continue in that manner – being changed by the incremental amounts that can be accepted at the time. And maybe the circumstances will require different amounts of change. But it will adapt to meet the changing conditions.