This is the downside of a more decentralized country. In many nations with more centralized control, the federal government would simply come up with a plan and

This is the downside of a more decentralized country. In many nations with more centralized control, the federal government would simply come up with a plan and each smaller jurisdiction would have to do what they were told. But the USA requires a meeting of "officials from seven states, water agencies, tribes and the federal government" to negotiate, and continually fail to come to any agreement. Each will blame the others, nothing will get done, and everyone will lose, all to avoid not getting the best deal for themselves.