The White House has made its pick to lead the federal agency that manages water and dams in the American West, a Trump administration official confirmed Monday.
If confirmed by Congress, Aubrey Bettencourt, a third-generation California farmer in the Central Valley, will lead the Bureau of Reclamation during a historic time of interstate conflict and record drought along the Colorado River.
After years of deadlock in closed-door negotiations, the seven states that share the river are likely to see the Trump administration impose a deal that could mean deep cuts for water users in some of the nation’s fastest-growing cities and most productive agricultural regions. That could lead to an expensive, lengthy battle at the U.S. Supreme Court.
In a statement, Colorado River Commissioner for California and lead state negotiator JB Hamby praised the choice, citing a deep connection to the state. Hamby said he looked forward to working with her and that it was welcome news.
“As a California farmer with deep experience in water and agricultural policy, she brings an important perspective to Reclamation at a time when decisions must protect both the Colorado River system and the people and farms who depend on it,” Hamby said.
Bettencourt could not be reached for comment Monday.
Long career in ag, water
Bettencourt has been a public servant before.
During the first Trump administration from 2017 to 2021, she was deputy assistant secretary of water and science at the Interior Department, the parent agency of the Bureau of Reclamation.
Following that post, Bettencourt became the president of the Almond Alliance, a national trade association for almond growers. She later directed government and external affairs for Netafim, a drip irrigation company.
Most recently, Bettencourt served as chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the private lands conservation agency leg of the Agriculture Department, until she stepped down in May.
The current acting Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner is Scott Cameron, a career bureaucrat who has been involved at the Interior Department and with Colorado River negotiations since the beginning of the second Trump administration.
Last year, the Trump administration dramatically dropped its nominee for the post, Arizona water official Ted Cooke. Cooke said at the time that officials from the Upper Basin states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico privately had griped about their perception of an alleged bias toward the Lower Basin states of Nevada, California and Arizona.
Contact Alan Halaly at ahalaly@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlanHalaly on X.
