Both the House of Representatives and the Senate approved the Colorado River drought contingency plan Monday.
The vote was by acclimation in both houses of Congress. The plan , hammered out by the seven states of the lower Colorado river Basin , addresses the need to prepare for less water available as a prolonged drought continues in the Southwest. Arizona and Nevada will store water in Lake Mead when levels fall below a certain level. California would also keep water in the lake if the level drops low enough. Mexico will also store water in the lake that straddles the Arizona - Nevada border. As passed by Congress , and as deemed necessary by the imperial irrigation District and environmental groups , implementation of the plan will not be exempt from federal environmental laws. The plan now goes to President Trump for his signature.