A 2019 Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) triggers automatic cuts for different tiers. State lawmakers passed a measure last year to allow local municipalities to use their own infrastructure to pump groundwater, a process known as independent recovery, to deliver to their customers. Example video title will go here for this video. As of May 2022, Lake Mead water levels are. In addition, the cities, along with other stakeholders, have helped Arizona make significant contributions to leave water in Lake Mead and stave off shortages for as long as possible. Under the current framework for managing the River, the August 24-Month Study determines what level of shortage the River will be in based on the projected levels of Lake Mead for January of the following year. 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 US Bureau of Reclamation declared a Tier 2a Shortage for the Colorado River in 2023 with its August 24-Month Study publication. Arizona. The potential for falling below the minimum power pool increases to 25 to 35% beyond 2022. How have the cities prepared for a Tier 2a Shortage? If the projected level falls below 1,075 feet of elevation above sea level, a shortage is declared, and Arizona must cut back its use of water. 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. Lake Powell was at 26% of capacity, 168 feet below its full elevation of 3,700 feet above sea level at the time. The tribe has the right to divert more than 662,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water in Arizona but hasnt taken full advantage because it lacks the infrastructure. These adjustments require time for planning, stretching their existing workforce, and a significant amount of money from already set budgets for 2023. 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. Water levels on Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US, is currently experiencing historic low-water levels, caused by the ongoing 20-year-long megadrought in the US West, as well as reduced snowpack in the Rocky Mountains where it usually provides a steady supply of water as it melts. These proactive measures and long-term planning efforts are necessary in our arid state and have ensured reliable water supplies during times of drought and shortage. By Pamela King | 01/18/2023 01:21 PM EST, By Ariel Wittenberg | 01/18/2023 01:21 PM EST, By E.A. Download these consolidated reports to get a snapshot in time of the data weve collected on our shared priorities. This Tier 1 Shortage declaration will not come as a surprise. 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. 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. Groundwater from the Town's own wells. 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. Like Scottsdale, the city asked residents to conserve water voluntarily. 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. Arizonas water supply is going to take a hit in 2022 because of falling levels behind the Hoover Dam. Without that, I couldnt even begin to tell you how big the cuts to Arizona would be. Az DOR Workshops for PMCs Free series January and February 2023, WeSERV Government Affairs Highlights, 2023 Government Affairs Meetings, Highlights of WeSERV Government Affairs in 2022. In September 2020, the Colorado River Annual Operating Plan for 2021 was presented by the Bureau of Reclamation. Its clear the state needs to do more beyond the water restriction from the declaration. 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. The agency did not respond to CNNs request for comment. Thats because last summer, for the first time ever, drought conditions forced the federal government to declare a tier 1 water shortage in the Colorado River, reducing how much Arizona can use. For alternative water sources, there has been discussions of pumping floodwaters from the Mississippi River basin to either Colorados Front Range or to New Mexicos Rio Grande. 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. 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. Based on the Jan. 1 projected level of Lake Mead at 1,065.85 feet above sea Those recharge basins can vary significantly in size. 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. The feds areexpected to make the shortage declaration in August. It was important for Arizona to secure that water, especially because it has junior rights to the Colorado River, OConnell said, referring to the states lower priority status for water. The third bill that Biden signed amends a 2010 water rights settlement for the White Mountain Apache Tribe in eastern Arizona, authorizing additional funding and extending deadlines to complete a rural water system and dam. The legislation includes more than $310 million for the Hualapai tribe to build out a water delivery system. Arizona should also consider restricting municipal water consumption, such as outdoor watering and irrigation, akin to measures implemented in Las Vegas, as well as ways to increase the share of recycled and reclaimed water. 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 fourth-priority was only part of the whole negotiations, and we walked into it with our heads held up high because at least its water, said former Hualapai Chairman Damon Clarke. This could potentially move 600,000 acre-feet of water, offsetting the projected loss from the Colorado River. Discovery Company. 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. They can likely triple their population under their existing allocations before they would need to acquire additional water.. Cities wont directly lose Colorado River water in the upcoming shortage, but they will pay more for it. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of water available to Arizona cities and tribes, according to the Central Arizona Project. The Bureau of Reclamations latest projections indicate that there is a 59% chance that a Tier 3 shortage could be triggered by the year 2025. further reductions will be needed in 2023, he ten AMWUA cities have been preparing for years to receive less water from the River, immediate challenge is the unpredictability, Arizona: 592,000 acre-feet, which is approximately 21% of the state's annualapportionment, Nevada: 25,000 acre-feet, which is 8% of the state's annual apportionment, Mexico: 104,000 acre-feet, which is approximately 7% of the country's annual allotment, California: There is no required water savings contribution for California in 2023. 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. It was a really huge accomplishment that we were able to accrue all of those [water credits] over the last 20 years, OConnell said, referring to the system used to track water storage and its eventual recovery, or withdrawal from the ground. 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. Neither do we. Now, we continue to wait and see if the States can devise such a plan. 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. 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. An acre-foot is enough to serve roughly two to three households annually. 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. 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, . Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (User Agreement updated 1/1/21. HOW DOES A TIER 1 SHORTAGE IMPACT ARIZONA? In 2020 and 2021 Arizona has operated at the Tier Zero Colorado River status meaning we do not take 192,000-acre feet of our allocated 2.8-million-acre feet annual Lake Mead entitlement. A Tier 3 shortage would impact the amount of water available to Arizona cities and tribes, according to the Central Arizona Project. 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. The Capitol Times Morning Scoop water roundtable, a regular feature of the newspaper, also included Terry Goddard, president of the board of the Central Arizona Water Conservation District, Ted Cooke, General Manager of the Central Arizona Project, Dave Roberts, Associate General Manager of Salt River Project and Joe Gysel, President of EPCOR USA. Arizonas population growth and extreme drought have increased demand for water in limited supply. Water availability is a high concern. 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? 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. Cole Lauterbach, The Center Square. 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. Several hundred residents are now using up the last of the Scottsdale water that haulers delivered in late December to the 5,000-gallon (18,950-liter) tanks buried in their yards, but said at a public gathering last week they expect it will dry up soon. The DCP formalized that practice, requiring that Arizona leave specified volumes of water in The ten AMWUA cities will continue to plan and prepare even amidst uncertainty while waiting for Reclamation to make a decision. 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. (AP Photo/John Locher, File), Phoenix Fire responds to another school after students allegedly took edibles, Some 300 campers stranded at an Arizona park due to flooding, Wednesday morning Arizona forecast 1-18-23, a whole-of-government approach to drought mitigation, Feds declare water shortage for Colorado River, cut allotment to Arizona. The Cities along the river currently use less than half of their existing municipal entitlement. Gunsight Butte (right at Lake Powell as seen on ), Feb. 3, 2022. This decline in Lake Mead will trigger a Tier 1 Shortage declaration, and therefore, less water will be delivered from the Colorado River. After 25 years, its savings balance stored underground in facilities across the state has grown to 3.75 million acre-feet. Crunden | 01/17/2023 01:16 PM EST, By Robin Bravender | 01/17/2023 01:16 PM EST, By Hannah Northey | 01/13/2023 01:25 PM EST. Planning that Balances Natural Resources with Economic Growth, Elected leaders who are focused on the future and whose decisions match the goals & values of Arizonans. Indeed, if the reservoir drops below 895 feet, it is considered a dead pool condition, which will jeopardise the Hoover Dams ability to provide electricity leaving nearly 1.3 million people in Arizona, California, and Nevada without power. Farmers across Arizona are expected to be hit the hardest as agriculture uses the majority of the state's river water allocation at an estimated 527,000 acre-feet per year. 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. But OConnell said officials will aim to spread the supply for a significantly longer period of time. 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. Instead of potentially ceding those flows to California, the state opened a kind of liquid piggy bank, storing away a share of its water for an uncertain future. Further to the south, Tucson officials said theyre more prepared and less affected by potential In that sense, its good. 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. 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 another 720,000 acre-feet could affect the state as early as 2024 (Greenwire, May 4). For years, officials have doled out more water than actually flows down the Colorado River, making it chronically overallocated. The 2019 Drought Contingency Plan is an agreement signed by all 7 Colorado River Basin States created to reduce drought risk and protect the most important water resource in the western US. For many years, Arizona water professionals have been anticipating and preparing for this shortage. The modeling projections show that the total Colorado River System Storage is at 39% capacity, down from 49% at the same time last year. Several hundred residents are now using up the last of Ultimately, Reclamation must fulfill its leadership responsibilities and determine what actions must be taken to prevent the Colorado River system from reaching such low levels that water is unable to pass through Hoover or Glen Canyon Dams. This figure shows Lake Powell's predicted water levels through 2026. As part of DCP, Arizona formalized the already existing practice of water users conserving a portion of the Lake Mead allocation. Hand-picked stories once a fortnight. We have a longstanding priority system that governs who receives Colorado River water in times of shortage. Indeed, if the reservoir drops below 895 feet, it is considered a dead pool condition, which will jeopardise the Hoover Dams ability to provide electricity leaving nearly, in Arizona, California, and Nevada without power. As the Valley has grown, family farms have transformed into strip malls and apartment buildings. This declaration of cutbacks in water deliveries was in accordance with established Colorado River operating criteria. All rights reserved. From the latter, water could then be pumped to the Gila Rivers headwaters and flow to Phoenix in Arizona. 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. In late April 1996, Lake Powell sat at an elevation of 3,673 feet just 27 feet below its maximum capacity. If a plant is built in Mexico, states who invest in it could take part of Mexicos share of the river in return. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources (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. 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