Former Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, who served under President George W. Bush from 2006 to 2009 and previously as Idaho governor, died in April at age 74 after battling cancer. According to former colleagues writing in The Hill, Kempthorne played a pivotal role in resolving a decades-long dispute between the United States and Mexico over water supplies along the All-American Canal.
The authors — former Mexican Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and former Interior Department official Robert Snow — describe how Kempthorne navigated one of the most contentious bilateral water issues facing both nations. They write that years of conflict over dwindling water supply had severely damaged U.S.-Mexico diplomatic relations before Kempthorne took office at the Interior Department.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates for water rights and international cooperation have generally praised efforts to strengthen cross-border environmental partnerships. Organizations working on binational water issues point to the agreements brokered during the Bush administration as evidence that pragmatic diplomacy can overcome decades of conflict over shared natural resources. The Colorado River, which serves millions of people in both countries, has been a persistent source of tension since the 1940s treaty governing its allocation was signed.
Environmental groups note that while subsequent administrations have built on these frameworks, the initial breakthrough required leaders willing to work outside normal bureaucratic channels when interagency processes stalled. The authors argue that Kempthorne's willingness to engage directly with counterparts — without immediately seeking formal clearance from either government — created space for creative problem-solving.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative commentators and former administration officials have pointed to Kempthorne's tenure as an example of effective executive branch governance. His approach to Mexico negotiations reflected a belief that experienced officials should be empowered to find solutions without excessive procedural constraints, according to supporters. The "don't ask, don't tell" working principle described by the authors has been characterized by some on the right as pragmatic dealmaking that achieved concrete results where traditional diplomatic channels had failed for decades.
Former Republican officials note that Kempthorne's background as a Western governor gave him credibility with water users in both countries. His willingness to take political risks — potentially exposing himself and his Mexican counterparts to criticism from their respective governments — demonstrated the kind of leadership some argue is increasingly rare in federal service, according to this perspective.
What the Numbers Show
The Colorado River provides water to approximately 40 million people across seven U.S. states and Mexico. The river's reservoirs have experienced significant decline over the past two decades, with Lake Mead and Lake Powell reaching historically low levels before recent precipitation improved conditions. The 1944 U.S.-Mexico Water Treaty established the foundation for binational cooperation but did not anticipate the scale of drought now affecting the region.
According to federal data, the Colorado River system currently stores approximately 50 percent of its capacity, up from crisis lows in 2022 but still below historical averages. The agreements reached during Kempthorne's tenure laid groundwork for subsequent negotiations that have included provisions for water sharing during shortages and collaborative management of reservoir levels.
The Bottom Line
Kempthorne's death has prompted reflection among current and former officials on both sides of the border about the role of personal diplomacy in international relations. The authors write that his approach — combining personal engagement, clear principles, and willingness to take calculated risks — produced results where institutional processes had stalled for nearly three decades.
Beyond water issues, Kempthorne later leveraged his cross-border relationships during the 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan, working with Mexico's then-Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard to help secure safe passage for hundreds of American allies. Current officials tracking binational environmental cooperation say the frameworks established during that period continue to inform ongoing negotiations over Colorado River management amid persistent drought conditions.