U.S. government forecasters see a hot spring for much of the nation with drought in the West likely deepening. The West is in the midst of a record-shattering megadrought, and forecasters see it continuing.

FEMA is spending $8.6 million to build a flood control basin near the border city of Nogales, Arizona, an area subject to intense flash flooding during monsoon season.

Persistent drought and rising temperatures have meant less water in the Colorado River system, which is relied on by 40 million Americans. But to this point, farmers in Pinal County have felt the effects much more acutely than others.
→ More about water on the Arizona podcast series InHospitable

Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland was in the Valley last week to talk about a variety of water-related topics, and she dropped in for a visit to the Rio Salado Audubon Center. During her trip to the Valley, Haaland talked about funding for Indian water settlements and the bipartisan infrastructure bill.

The money comes from funds set aside by the bipartisan infrastructure bill for tribal lands. Other projects will help with broadband expansion and roadwork.

In 1980, then-Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt signed the Groundwater Management Act, which regulated the state’s urban areas. Babbitt was back at the state Capitol on Tuesday to support similar legislation for rural counties.

Salt River Project is finishing up its annual canal cleanup, which includes adding white amurs to the canal system.

The megadrought bedeviling the American West got even drier last year and is becoming the deepest dry spell in more than 1,200 years.

The Bureau of Reclamation is keeping a close eye on runoff in the Colorado River and met last week to talk about how it will respond to the ongoing drought.