PHOENIX (AP) — The Latest on a drought plan for the Colorado River (all times local):

1:25 p.m.

A major Southern California water agency has agreed to store extra water in a key reservoir in an effort to preserve a multistate drought plan for the Colorado River.

The board of the Metropolitan Water District voted unanimously Tuesday to take over the obligations of the nearby Imperial Irrigation District.

Imperial's demands for $200 million for a separate project to protect the Salton Sea threatened to blow up the drought plan ahead of a deadline next week.

Metropolitan says the efforts to preserve the salty lake southeast of Los Angeles shouldn't stall the plan to protect the river that serves 40 million people. Its action essentially writes Imperial out of the drought plan.

The U.S. government could impose its own rules for water going to California, Arizona and Nevada if seven states can't reach an agreement.

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12 a.m.

A major Southern California water agency is positioning itself to shoulder the state's entire water contribution under a plan to preserve a key river in the U.S. West that serves 40 million people.

The Metropolitan Water District board is voting Tuesday on a proposal to essentially write out of a multistate drought plan another agency that gets more Colorado River water than anyone else.

The Imperial Irrigation District says it'll only provide water to keep a key reservoir from dropping to drastically low levels if U.S. officials commit $200 million to address a massive, briny lake southeast of Los Angeles.

Metropolitan says that effort shouldn't stall the drought plan and it can cover Imperial's contribution.

The U.S. government could impose its own rules for water going to California, Arizona and Nevada if seven states can't reach an agreement.