Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and officials from seven Western states signed a sweeping agreement Thursday to conserve and share scare Colorado River water, ending a divisive battle among the thirsty rivals. "This is the most important agreement among the seven basin states since the original 1922 compact," Kempthorne said, referring to a water-use agreement covering California, Arizona, Nevada, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. The 20-year plan, which took effect with Kempthorne's signature, resolved several legal disputes among water agencies in the states and formalized rules to cooperate during the ongoing drought gripping the region.

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