CAP and ADWR authored a Colorado River Shortage Fact Sheet you can read for more information, but here are the highlights: Arizona will have a substantial cut to its Colorado River water allocation with the bulk of the cuts falling on Central Arizona agriculture water users. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of water available to Arizona cities and tribes, according to the Central Arizona Project. Between the cuts already in place and dire predictions for the future, the Water Bank is preparing itself to make withdrawals on its longtime savings plan. For alternative water sources, there has been discussions of, pumping floodwaters from the Mississippi River basin. Failing to meet the power pool minimum would prevent the dam from meeting its power obligations to Arizona, California and Nevada. This is a life-changing moment for the Hualapai Tribe and the many members of the Tribal Council who have worked toward this goal for more than a decade, tribal Vice Chairman Scott Crozier said in a statement Thursday. HOW DOES A TIER 1 SHORTAGE IMPACT ARIZONA? 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. For more water information, visitwww.amwua.org. Considering Arizona relies more than 40% of water supplies from groundwater, lawmakers need to address the unregulated drainage of rural groundwater by industrial farms. A power pool is two or more interconnected electrical systems that operate a single system to generate power, according to the Bureau of Reclamation glossary. Temperatures in Arizona have been steadily rising with average summer temperatures now 1.8F (1C) higher compared to 1970 levels. Glendale, for instance, has alandscaping program that gives homeowners up to $750for converting grass lawns into more water-sensitive xeriscaping. 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. Mexico also gets a share. Central Arizona agricultural users have the lowest CAP priority, and therefore will face the brunt of the Tier 1 Shortage reductions. Hundreds of homes here get water trucked in from Scottsdale, but those deliveries will end on January 1, 2023. As drought pushes east, more intense wildfires are sparking in new areas. 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. Further to the south, Tucson officials said theyre more prepared and less affected by potential Flores said the tribe is committed to helping its neighbors and maintaining the habitat along the river as water becomes more scarce and others face deeper cuts. Reach him at bbabbittaz@gmail.com. The legislation includes more than $310 million for the Hualapai tribe to build out a water delivery system. The seven Basin States Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming were tasked with developing a plan within 60 days to accomplish this drastic reduction for a River currently producing less than 13 million acre-feet of water. For more water information, visitwww.amwua.org. A statement from ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke and CAP General Manager Ted Cooke in response to the U.S. Department of the Interior announcement of actions to protect the Colorado River system and 2023 Operating Conditions for Lake Powell and Lake Mead is available HERE. Its clear the state needs to do more beyond the water restriction from the declaration. 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. Cancel, RAPAC: REALTORS of Arizona Political Action Committee, been used to fuel growth in some of the Valleys farthest reaches, leaders in 2019 signed a series of agreements known as theDrought Contingency Plan, expected to make the shortage declaration in August, report from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, opened the door for cities to use direct potable reuse, housing and development use less water than agriculture, landscaping program that gives homeowners up to $750, Once a Seller is Incompetent, She Cannot Create a Valid Power of Attorney, Seller May be Bound to Agreement to Repair Property not Owned by Seller, Residential Sellers Property Disclosure Statement, Residential Landlord May Prohibit Smoking Inside a Residence, Landlord is Not Required to Provide a Key to Person Named in an Injunction Against Harassment for Domestic Violence, Contract Time Frames Begin After Buyers Contingency Is Fulfilled, Holidays Do Not Extend the Inspection Period, 2023 Code of Ethics and Arbitration Manual Changes. 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. 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. Nearly empty reservoirs quickly rose, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the largest man-made reservoirs in the country that hold back Colorado River water. The shortage, which will begin As the climate crisis intensifies, battle lines are beginning to form over water. Download these consolidated reports to get a snapshot in time of the data weve collected on our shared priorities. WebThe AMWUA cities have committed resources to support this plan that includes sending water to Central Arizona farms. Based on the Jan. 1 projected level of Lake Mead at 1,065.85 feet above sea In 2022, Lake Meads elevation is projected to be below 1,075 feet. In his State of the State address, Governor Doug Ducey plans to provide the Arizona Water Authority with a $1 billion budget to find new sources of water over the next three years and to partner with other states on desalination plants. She continued: But it is a finite supply, and once those credits are gone, theyre gone. The drought-stricken Southwest got a reprieve this year with average and above-average snowfall following a year that sent many states into extreme drought. Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement updated 7/1/2022). 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. 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. Arizonans are now restricted on how much water they could use and the situation will not likely abate anytime soon. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of water available to Arizona cities and tribes, according to the Central Arizona Project. WebGilbert has four main water sources: Colorado River water from the Central Arizona Project. The Federal Bureau of Reclamation declares water shortages, which trigger water cuts based on previously approved agreements. In 2021, the Bureau of Reclamation declared its first-ever water shortage, cutting more than 500,000 acre-feet of water going to Arizona. As the Valley has grown, family farms have transformed into strip malls and apartment buildings. AMWUA (Arizona Municipal Water Users Association), 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 1550, Phoenix, AZ 85012, 2023 Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. The Arizona water shortage 2021 is just the beginning of an ongoing crisis in the region, as climate change-induced droughts and heatwaves have driven water levels at Lake Mead and the Colorado River to plummet. Current increases in metro Phoenix break down like this: City leaders wont have to worry about losing their Colorado River water next year, but more extreme shortages could hit closer to home. Environmental News, Data Analysis, Research & Policy Solutions. My main concern with all of this is the precedent that is setting, that is whats so scary, Irwin told CNN. 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. Municipal water users are currently spared. 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. It is also where the all-important Hoover Dam is located bordering with Nevada where it helps control floods, provide irrigation water as well as generate hydroelectric power. As drought tightened its decades-long grip on the American West, leaders in 2019 signed a series of agreements known as the Drought Contingency Plan, which call for leaving more water in Lake Mead to delay severe shortages. Still, the tribe called Bidens signature a historic step for the Hualapai people, whose reservation borders a 108-mile (174-kilometer) stretch of the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Reclamation has granted the Basin States an unspecified amount of time to continue negotiating and see if they can overcome provincial self-interests and develop a wholistic approach for protecting the River for all users. In Arizona amid a decades-long megadrought some communities are facing the very real possibility of losing access to the precious water that remains. (But) were going to see higher costs, he said, adding that Peoria is prepared to spend an extra $1 million next year on Colorado River water. Did you encounter any technical issues? WHAT DOES THE 2022 TIER 1 SHORTAGE MEAN FOR AMWUA According to the. (ADWR), 41% of the states current water supply comes from groundwater, 36% from Colorado River, 18% from in-state rivers, and 5% from reclaimed water. To be proactive and prevent further depletion of Colorado River water supplies, the seven Basin States set operating guidelines to use less water when Lake Mead and Lake Powell drop to specific levels. . WebArizona Water Shortage Arizona uses approximately 7 million acre-feet (maf) of water each year from all sources, about 2.8 maf of which comes fom the Colorado River. On May 6, 2021, the Arizona Department of Water Resources published the April 29th Joint Colorado River Shortage Preparedness Briefing. Nevertheless, he noted, the conditions on the Colorado River system are likely to deteriorate further in the coming calendar year. Though Phoenix has more than an adequate supply of water in non-shortage years, residents and business owners are encouraged to embrace a desert lifestyle. But after saving its water for the dry times to come, Arizona faces a new new challenge: determining how to get the water to the communities that need it, while also making it last as long as possible. President Joe Biden signed legislation earlier this month giving leasing authority to the Colorado River Indian Tribes, whose reservation tracks its namesake on the Arizona-California border. Due to its dry desert climate, Arizona is home to some of the worlds most stunning and unique landscapes, from the Red Rock State Park and the iconic Grand Canyon. 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