appreciated. On April 15, the operators of the Colorado River system the Bureau of Reclamation made clear what everyone familiar with the drought-stricken system has Following more than two decades of a megadrought that has shrunk the Colorado River and drawn down the Lake Powell reservoir to levels dangerously close to the cutoff for continued hydropower production it almost sounds like a parable. She continued: There is no more excess water for us to store. Unfortunately, the States failed to produce a viable plan by the deadline. Lake Mead's drop is the result of an ongoing megadrought that's persisted for 22 years. Reach reporter Joshua Bowling atjbowling@azcentral.comor 602-444-8138. Therefore, the Tier 1 Shortage will have no immediate impact on your citys ability to meet the water needs of its customers. When the state began operating the banking authority in 1997, Arizona wasnt using its full allocation of Colorado River water, which amounts to 2.8 million acre-feet annually. to either Colorados Front Range or to New Mexicos Rio Grande. But Irwin argues if this one water transfer is allowed, it will open the door to many other large investment firms buying up the land and water rights in her community. The Colorado River has been a go-to source of water for cities, tribes and farmers in the West for decades. Even after investing billions in treatment plants and infrastructure to utilize Colorado River water, the ten AMWUA cities have been preparing for years to receive less water from the River. In another sense, thats not good.. Protecting & enhancing Arizonas water supplies for current and future generations. While the basins might appear as enormous swimming pools from above, AWBA officials said the designs ensure that water gets underground as quickly as possible. Central Arizona Water Conservation District board President Terry Goddard said last month that his agency predicts almost for certain that even larger Tier 3 cuts But while the state has long focused on squirreling away its excess water supply, it did not turn its attention to the question of extraction until nearly a decade ago. The only way to address these challenges & #ClimateChange is to utilize the best available science and to work cooperatively across the landscapes & communities that rely on it"1/3 pic.twitter.com/bjbgvcMNsr, RELATED: Feds declare water shortage for Colorado River, cut allotment to Arizona. In the first year of operations, the Arizona Water Banking Authority set aside 300,000 acre-feet of water. Data are available only for Lake Mead . , as well as ways to increase the share of recycled and reclaimed water. The Colorado Rivers system is strained by the effects of a two-decade drought and by two consecutive years of poor spring runoff from the Rockies. Cities wont directly lose Colorado River water in the upcoming shortage, but they will pay more for it. Greenstone, a Phoenix-based investment firm, bought nearly 500 acres with the intent to sell the lands water allotment to Queen Creek, a growing Phoenix suburb about 200 miles away. Of our The AMWUA cities have committed resources to support this plan that includes sending water to Central Arizona farms. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Feds should declare a Tier 3 That declaration also triggered a reduction of water from Lake Mead: Arizona saw a cut of 512,000 acre-feet of water, about 18 percent of the states annual apportionment, while Nevada would get 21,000 acre-feet of water less, about 7 percent of its annual apportionment. For the last two decades, the Colorado River Basin has been facing the worst drought in 1,200 years, plus experiencing a warmer climate, stressing the already over-allocated Colorado River. The Tier 2a Shortage determines that central Arizona will receive 592,000 acre-feet less Colorado River water in 2023, which means an additional 80,000 acre-feet will be cut compared to this year's Tier 1 Shortage. Its clear the state needs to do more beyond the water restriction from the declaration. On August 16, 2021, the United States Bureau of Reclamation announced a Tier 1 Shortage to go into effect on January 1, 2022. Cooke also noted the fact that the voluntary contributions to raising surface levels at Lake Mead have proved to be the deciding factor in keeping the reservoir from descending to Tier 3 status already. President Joe Biden has approved three bills that will improve access to water for three tribes in Arizona amid an unrelenting drought. Lake Powell upstream on the Colorado River is similarly experiencing water, dropping to its lowest level since it was filled in the 1960s, These record lows prompted the first-ever, for the reservoirs, which has been in effect since early 2022, requiring water users including states like Nevada as well as Mexico to conserve and reduce their water consumption. I do not believe, and I think I speak for others on the Council, that we have the foresight to know what is best for our members who are not yet born or for their children, she said. One of the provisions was a plan by the lower basin states and Mexico to share in water cutbacks, if needed, between 2020 and 2026. The latest Morning Scoop panel discussion focused on a broad overview of the water issues facing Arizona. Arizona. Kathleen Ferris, a senior research fellow with the Kyl Center for Water Policy in Arizona, says water scarcity in the state has resulted in the haves and the have nots, and likened the coming water battles to the days of the Wild West. These guidelines include the Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 shortage levels, which would intentionally leave water in Lake Mead to keep water levels from reaching those critical levels that are now closer to becoming a reality. Others thatrely much less on the Colorado Riverare not. Of our Colorado River water, about 1.5 maf moves through a Central Arizona Project (CAP) canal into the metro areas of Phoenix and Tucson. Example video title will go here for this video. By Jennifer Yachnin | 06/07/2022 01:27 PM EDT, The Arizona Water Bank was established in 1996 to store unused Colorado River water delivered via the Central Arizona Project canal, shown above, a 336-mile-long system of aqueducts, tunnels, pumping plants and pipelines. For Pinal County agriculture, this will mean their water will be reduced by almost 65% and will need to come from other sources while some agricultural land will become fallow. In the latter, the Water Bank partners with a local agency, typically an irrigation district, to provide Colorado River water to a user who might otherwise pump groundwater. The scarcity of water in the state is pitting small towns against fast-growing metropolitan communities. That's the amount of water it takes to cover one acre of land at one foot deep. On November 8, 2022, residents in two southeastern Arizona groundwater basins voted on whether to put limits on groundwater use. According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, 1 acre-foot of water or the amount of water required to fill a single acre of land to a depth of 1 foot is enough to serve up to 3.5 single-family households annually. Deangelis and her neighbors are hoping to find another water source to purchase for their homes, but in order to do that they must get certain approvals from their county, which has not happened yet. Arizonaleaders are bracing for a historic Colorado River shortage in 2022. Apparently, the state has also stored nearly 3 trillion gallons of water for future use or non-rainy days, which is equivalent to serving the city of Phoenix for 30 years, according to the ADWR. Water buffalos the experts, wonks and gadflies of the water worldin Valley city halls say the impending shortage isnt solely to blame for the increases. You can also read more about the basics of Arizona Water in the WeSERV Water Issues Task force flyer Water in Arizona Is My Property in an AMA or INA? This shortage is a reduction in the amount of water that can be used from the Colorado River and is part of a broader plan to protect the overall health of the Colorado River system. The land there comes with water rights to the Colorado River, a prized possession in a drought-ravaged state. This could potentially move 600,000 acre-feet of water, offsetting the projected loss from the Colorado River. They also have larger shares of higher-priority Municipal & Industrial (M&I) pool water that wont be impacted until a deeper Tier 3 shortage is declared. To help water users facing reductions during a Tier 1 Shortage, the Arizona DCP Implementation Plan was created in 2019 to provide alternate water supplies and funding to those impacted by the cuts. 7:01 AM EDT, Wed March 30, 2022. WebThe Colorado River Basin continues to experience drought and the impacts of hotter and drier conditions. While normally this would give Scottsdale clarity on its water Federal officials predict there is a 57 percent chance that in January 2020, water levels at Lake Mead will fall below 1,075 feet (above sea level), triggering a Tier 1 shortage. These challenges include determining how to move their other water supplies groundwater and Salt and Verde River water - to ensure the reliability of their systems. Flores suggested the leases wont be as long as the 50-year terms that the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs offered for farming on the tribes reservation. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Who are impacted most by the water shortage and what are the policy solutions being implemented and considered? Tribes often trade potentially huge water claims for the promise of federal funding to deliver water to their citizens. The Hayden-Rhodes Aqueduct, fed by the Colorado River, runs through Scottsdale, Arizona. The Colorado River serves 40 million people in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, California and Nevada. In that sense, its good. To bank the unused water, the state Water Bank relies on two different processes: actually keeping water in underground storage and an exchange program known as groundwater savings. Now, we continue to wait and see if the States can devise such a plan. The potential for falling below the minimum power pool increases to 25 to 35% beyond 2022. Water in Arizona Is My Property in an AMA or INA? The following infographic shows CAP reductions for 2022 in a Tier 1 Shortage: HOW HAS THE DROUGHT CONTINGENCY PLAN PREPARED ARIZONA FOR SHORTAGE? Matt York/AP Photo. Theres been a lot of planning behind this, knowing that the Colorado River is structurally overallocated, said Teri Wenck, Fitch Ratings director of U.S. public finance, which in July predicted that the looming shortage would pass costs onto Arizona cities. Environmental News, Data Analysis, Research & Policy Solutions. from the shortage but this could quickly change as water levels will likely continue to plummet in the next few years. The underground storage process involves physically storing water drawn from the Colorado River in existing aquifers. Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12 News YouTube channel. Each city is prepared for Tier 2 and even Tier 3 shortages because they have invested in diverse and reliable water portfolios, funded infrastructure and technology, stored water underground, instilled a conservation ethic, and have drought and shortage preparedness plans. Gunsight Butte (right at Lake Powell as seen on ), Feb. 3, 2022. 5th or more: Written notice and $500 charge to next water bill. Following an 'almost' record-breaking monsoon season, the historic drought and low-runoff conditions in the Colorado River Basin show an elevated risk of Lake Powell and Lake Mead at critically low elevations, the bureau said in a news release. New predictions for Lake Mead highlight the need for additional actions on top of the 2019 Drought Contingency Plan, said Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department Water Resources. Here are our top priorities for Arizonas 2023 Legislative Session: 1)Pass legislation that provides communities in rural Arizona (places located outside of Active Management Areas) with the ability to plan, manage, and protect their groundwater resources in a locally-adaptable approach. Arizona in 2018opened the door for cities to use direct potable reuse, also known as toilet-to-tap, a term that makes its advocates wince. After 25 years, its savings balance stored underground in facilities across the state has grown to 3.75 million acre-feet. A spokesperson for the Arizona Department of Water Resources noted that other entities, whether private or publicly operated, have stored in excess of 13 million acre-feet of water. Fax: 602-351-2474, Direct Business Support: 480-304-8930, support@aaronline.com, TransactionDesk Support: 800-668-8768 or email TDSupport@lwolf.com any time 24/7, After Hours Support: afterhours@aaronline.com, 2023 Arizona REALTORS | Powered by Ivio Agency. Holly Irwin, a district supervisor in La Paz County, home to Cibola, is fighting the plan. While unchanged water usage rates can mostly be attributed to the economys transition from one that is based largely on agriculture to urban, decades of conservation efforts including the, Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980. and year-long mandatory water conservation measures have certainly helped. Municipalities and tribes have the highest CAP priority and will not face water reductions in 2022. Tribal Chairwoman Amelia Flores said the legislation was designed that way to avoid further straining the river thats been dwindling because of overuse, climate change and an unrelenting drought. Global Historical Climatology Network site. The plan shows the various lakes in the upper and lower basin systems, the amount of water in each lake as of September 2020, and the system storage capacity and amounts. But its also at risk of having water curtailed because its a lower-tier right. Scottsdales water department told CNN in an email that Scottsdale has continued to be a good neighbor in allowing Rio Verde to temporarily use its water supply. The department said that due to the current water shortage, by law it must dedicate its limited water supply to its residents.. Central Arizona agricultural users have the lowest CAP priority, and therefore will face the brunt of the Tier 1 Shortage reductions. In 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation declared its first-ever water shortage, cutting more than 500,000 acre-feet of water going to Arizona. An acre-foot of water would generally supply three average Phoenix households with water for a year. A Tier 2 shortage, if its declared, cuts an additional 80,000 acre-feet of water to Arizona. Get focused newsletters especially designed to be concise and easy to digest. Follow him on Twitter@MrJoshuaBowling. 1980 - 2023 Arizona Department of Water Resources -, Statement of Claimant, Assignments, Amendments, Share or Report a Water Level - 3rd Party Water Level Data Portal, Lower Hassayampa Sub-Basin Groundwater Model Report, Recharge Long-Term Storage Credit Balance, Assured & Adequate Water Supply Pending Applications, Assured and Adequate Water Supply Interactive Map, Community Water System (CWS) Interactive Map, people in the drought-plagued Southwest are learning, Central Arizona Water Conservation District. In 2022, the Colorado River is expected to experience a Tier 1 Shortage, which means that Arizona, Nevada, and Mexico have all agreed to take less water from the River for the year. Now it seems, Arizona water Lake Mead is the reservoir that supplies Arizonas water from the Colorado River. AMWUA cities will continue to receive their Colorado River supplies in a Tier 1 Shortage and access other water sources, including Salt & Verde River water, reclaimed water, and groundwater. We have that resource available to us, he said, as well as billions of dollars available to us for things like recycling, augmentation and other solutions that may be on the table.. The Colorado River Indian Tribes passed a resolution in 2020 to seek the federal legislation to help bolster the tribes economy and improve housing, health care and education on the reservation. The modeling projections show that the total Colorado River System Storage is at 39% capacity, down from 49% at the same time last year. While unchanged water usage rates can mostly be attributed to the economys transition from one that is based largely on agriculture to urban, decades of conservation efforts including the Arizona Groundwater Management Act of 1980 and year-long mandatory water conservation measures have certainly helped. All rights reserved (About Us). The bank never intended to fully firm 100 percent; we knew we would never have enough credits to do that, she explained, referring to the technical term for using the stored water to shore up supplies. According to the Water Banks annual report, a Tier 3 status, which could be less than two years away, would trigger the maximum release of 120,000 acre-feet per year, split among tribes, municipalities and industrial users. Municipal water users are currently spared from the shortage but this could quickly change as water levels will likely continue to plummet in the next few years. The rules governing how water is distributed from the Colorado River focus on Lake Mead water levels. It hasnt gained traction, but many cities use indirect potable reuse which involves capturing the water that goes down your drain andtreating it for non-drinking purposes, such as landscaping. Over the same period, the state has recorded 6.2 more days that are above 110F (43C), which translates to significantly more danger days where residents are more likely to succumb to heat-related health issues and deaths. Each level of shortage is known as a tier and goes into effect when the water in Lake Mead drops to specific elevations. It is worth noting that despite a population increase of six million residents since 1957, Arizona has been using about, the same amount of water now as they did then, . Farmers therefore will be impacted first (and most) by the ongoing water shortage declaration, forcing them to take conservation measures including fallowing land where a portion of cropland cannot be planted for an entire season. Based on 2017 statistics, the total statewide water use was approximately 7 million acre-feet, in which 72% was used for agricultural purposes, 22% for municipal use while the remaining 6% was used for industries. Failing to meet the power pool minimum would prevent the dam from meeting its power obligations to Arizona, California and Nevada. News accounts have been full of bad news about Lake Mead, Lake Powell and the system overall. By donating us $100, $50 or subscribe to Boosting $10/month we can get this article and others in front of tens of thousands of specially targeted readers. 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