"Water war" has for decades been a term used to describe the political battles over water in the West.
But back in the 1930s, a fight between California and Arizona over water actually veered from cold war to hot war — almost.
In 1934, the Metropolitan Water District began construction on Parker Dam, which was opposed by Arizona. The resulting Lake Havasu would feed the new Colorado Aqueduct.
Before, in 1922, six of seven states signed the Colorado River Compact. Upset with its allotment, Arizona refused to sign.
So when Parker Dam construction began, Arizona sought to block the project.