The governors of six of the seven of the Colorado River Basin states plan to meet Friday in Washington, D.C., in an attempt to break a stalemate in Colorado River water negotiations. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has invited all of the governors and their negotiators to meet in the nation’s capital as states approach a

Colorado River governors will meet in Washington, D.C., on Friday to discuss water allocations, with federal intervention looming if no agreement is reached.

Leaders of the system which brings Colorado River water to Phoenix and Tucson say cutbacks outlined in federal plans would harm the area.

On the eve of the high-stakes summit, negotiators from both the upper and lower river basins are not sounding confident they can reach an agreement with less than three weeks to go before a Feb. 14 deadline.

Arizona and Colorado officials are building war chests for possible future litigation over Colorado River water rights even as the states try to negotiate an agreement on river management to keep the dispute out of court.