Salton Sea Money Demand Clogs Up Colorado River Drought Plans

California’s Salton Sea is a complicated place that’s not well known outside the Golden State, but its imperiled status has helped clog progress negotiating drought protection measures with water users along the Colorado River.

The Colorado River basin supplies water to seven states and Mexico, but a 19-year-long drought has taken its toll, which forced the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to order the players to agree on drought management plans by Jan. 31, 2019.

Most states complied, but legislation passed in Arizona didn’t technically meet the deadline and two California users had conditions, including securing millions from the Agriculture Department ...