Supplemental water deliveries to Lake Powell began in July 2021 under emergency provisions of the 2019 Drought Response Operation Agreement. The City of Surprise Property Maintenance Ordinance (PMO) WeSERV Comments and Suggestions, CFPB Bulletin Updates: Distressed Borrowers and New Fair Debt Collection Rule Affecting Tenant Evictions Under CDC Moratorium, We are now to the point in the legislative session when bills are either progressing through the system or they are stalled and wont see a floor vote. A water shortage was declared for the first time on the river last year. So what does this mean for the people of Arizona? Theres no clearer example of this phenomenon than what is currently happening at the Colorado River and its two reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, which are the primary water supply for Arizonas 7 million residents. Tier 1 shortage. On August 16, 2021, the United States Bureau of Reclamation announced a Tier 1 Shortage to go into effect on January 1, 2022. I dont necessarily see excess water being available again in the future. 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. Each level of shortage is known as a tier and goes into effect when the water in Lake Mead drops to specific elevations. Reach reporter Joshua Bowling [email protected] 602-444-8138. 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. 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. Shortage on the Colorado River will not impact our water supplies. WHAT DOES THE 2022 TIER 1 SHORTAGE MEAN FOR AMWUA 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. Unfortunately, the States failed to produce a viable plan by the deadline. 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. 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. 5th or more: Written notice and $500 charge to next water bill. 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. Example video title will go here for this video. Revenue from water leases also will help fund a nursing home, substance abuse treatment and improve an irrigation system, tribal leaders have said. 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. Published But that declines over time. The next steps of shortage, then, will have more impact because there is less mitigation.. All rights reserved. Every water user in all sectors within each state must be a part of the solution by contributing to the protection of this shared river system. 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. WebEach 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 Updated every January and August, the August projection of the following January 1 water elevation determines whether a shortage is to be declared on the system. FILE - Alyssa Chubbuck, left, and Dan Bennett embrace while watching the sunset at Guano Point overlooking the Colorado River on the Hualapai reservation Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, in northwestern Arizona. 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. 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. The Cities along the river currently use less than half of their existing municipal entitlement. We are basically just an entity that stores water. One major challenge to recovery, she said, is where the water storage facilities are located in relation to the cities looking to extract their water. Water in Arizona Is My Property in an AMA or INA? Both communities say these water rights are key to their sustainability. 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. While the Water Bank has yet to have to offer withdrawals from its resources, its recent annual report suggests that could change as early as 2025. This could potentially move 600,000 acre-feet of water, offsetting the projected loss from the Colorado River. 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. 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. Beyond that, there needs to be an overhaul of sustainable farming practices in the industry as well the state is the leading producers of cotton, lettuce and hay with cattle and dairy being the top agricultural products. As of May 2022, Lake Mead water levels are. The AWBAs nest egg of 3.75 million acre-feet of water is the equivalent of 1.3 times the states annual allocation of 2.8 million acre-feet of Colorado River water. This could potentially move 600,000 acre-feet of water, offsetting the projected loss from the Colorado River. Fax: 602-351-2474, Direct Business Support: 480-304-8930, [email protected], TransactionDesk Support: 800-668-8768 or email [email protected] any time 24/7, After Hours Support: [email protected], 2023 Arizona REALTORS | Powered by Ivio Agency. Scottsdale turned off its longstanding supply of water to the community on Jan. 1, calling the cutoff permanent. The Bureau of Reclamation declared its first-ever Tier 1 shortage last year, sparking a series of actions intended to shore up Lake Powell and the Glen Canyon Dams hydropower production. The rules governing how water is distributed from the Colorado River focus on Lake Mead water levels. Outside the city limits of Scottsdale, where the asphalt ends and the dirt road begins, is the Rio Verde Foothills community. News never stops. Now that it is here, what does it mean, and how does it impact Arizona and the AMWUA cities? 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. 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. Municipalities and tribes have the highest CAP priority and will not face water reductions in 2022. Recovery has always been discussed from the minute the Water Bank was created, OConnell said, but she acknowledged that efforts lagged until 2014, when the first working group was created to address the issue. Each has a specified amount of water that they are entitled to use every year. 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. Its clear the state needs to do more beyond the water restriction from the declaration. Considering Arizona relies more than 40% of water supplies from groundwater, lawmakers need to address the unregulated drainage of rural groundwater by industrial farms. Gunsight Butte (right at Lake Powell as seen on ), Feb. 3, 2022. Arizonans are now restricted on how much water they could use and the situation will not likely abate anytime soon. Phoenix and other cities haveconsidered pumping more groundwateras climate changes effects continue to strain rivers. Arizona also needs to rapidly invest and diversify its water sources. While normally this would give Scottsdale clarity on its water Mandatory shortages are affecting some states, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has called for more widespread cuts as key reservoirs shrink. The DCP formalized that practice, requiring that Arizona leave specified volumes of water in Arizona also needs to rapidly invest and diversify its water sources. 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. 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. While the AWBA operates the water banking system, it doesnt actually own any facilities. WebThis August, the Bureau of Reclamation declared a Tier 2a for the Colorado River system for calendar year 2023. Municipal water providers face operational challenges with their treatment plants and delivery systems without knowing how significant a cutback will be required from their Colorado River water supply. For many years, Arizona water professionals have been anticipating and preparing for this shortage. The AMWUA cities have committed resources to support this plan that includes sending water to Central Arizona farms. Groundwater from the Town's own wells. AMWUA (Arizona Municipal Water Users Association), 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 1550, Phoenix, AZ 85012, 2023 Arizona Municipal Water Users Association. Further to the south, Tucson officials said theyre more prepared and less affected by potential An acre-foot is enough to serve roughly two to three households 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, . 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. One acre-foot is enough water for three average Phoenix households for one year. Now it seems, Arizona water There is a 22% chance that 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. If a Tier 3 shortage occurs, Arizona would have to give up 720,000 acre-feet of its apportionment, which would restrict water usage in municipalities. Explaining Arizona waterthe issues, policies, management strategies, drought, conservation, and stewardship. Slight chance of a rain shower. For Arizona, a Tier 1 Shortage results in an estimated 30% reduction to Colorado River supplies delivered by the Central Arizona Project (CAP) to water users in Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties. Bruce Babbitt served as governor of Arizona from 1978 to 1987 and as secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior from 1993 to 2001. Instead, the Arizona Water Bank operates as a kind of warehouse manager for water, recording excess Colorado River water at sites around the state. Senate President Karen Fann gave us an update on what we will [], Copyright 2016 | WeMAR Government Affairs. In Arizona, the current drought is approaching 15 years in length and has surpassed the worst drought in more than110 years of official recordkeeping. 181,000 acre-feet is enough water to supply over 5,400 average US households for an entire year. The agency did not respond to CNNs request for comment. 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. 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. Theres no silver bullet in tackling the water shortage situation in Arizona, but until the US and the world manages to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate change and therefore drought conditions the state cannot rely on the same water supplies and keep business as usual. That water can be put into the aquifers either by an injection well or a standard well, or via large recharge basins that sit over alluvial material, typically composed of layers of sand and gravel. The minimum power pool was designed to protect the framework of the Glen Canyon Dam. CAP and the Arizona Department of Water Resources authored a short video discussing the DCP. Kathleen Ferris, a senior research fellow with the Kyl Center for Arizona REALTORS Water, as described at the start of a panel discussion Tuesday on Arizonas water supplies, is one of the hottest topics around. Arizona has been in a Tier 1 shortage condition Lake Mead. Glendale, for instance, has alandscaping program that gives homeowners up to $750for converting grass lawns into more water-sensitive xeriscaping. Without that, I couldnt even begin to tell you how big the cuts to Arizona would be. So what does this mean for the people of Arizona? As the Valley has grown, family farms have transformed into strip malls and apartment buildings. She continued: But it is a finite supply, and once those credits are gone, theyre gone. 2019 Drought Response Operation Agreement. Basically, that credit is what gives you the ownership of that water.. But Arizona was hit hardest by the declaration with nearly one fifth of the states water supply being cut off. Holly Irwin, a district supervisor in La Paz County, home to Cibola, is fighting the plan. "The latest outlook for Lake Powell is troubling," Wayne Pullan, the bureau's Upper Colorado Regional director said. You can watch the CAP to TAP event video in which we take you from the waters Colorado River origin, to groundwater replenishment, through the system to the point the water comes out your faucet. The Colorado River supplies water to Arizona, six other western states, and Mexico. The ten AMWUA cities will continue to plan and prepare even amidst uncertainty while waiting for Reclamation to make a decision. Meredith Deangelis lives in the community, and the thought of losing access to water keeps her up at night. 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. I think people would be much more upset if they went to turn on the tap and nothing came out, Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers said. . Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts and Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, recently introduced a bill aimed at preventing large corporations from profiting off water rights. And some cities will even pay you to conserve. Arizona is expected to be in a Tier 1 shortage when Lake Mead drops to an elevation of 1,075 feet above sea level in 2022. Scottsdale turned off its longstanding supply of water to the community on Jan. 1, calling the cutoff permanent. Cities in metropolitan Phoenix and Tucson, as well as other Native American tribes who get water from a series of canals managed by the Central Arizona Project, are among the likely customers for water leases with the Colorado River Indian Tribes. The immediate challenge is the unpredictability of what additional reductions beyond a Tier 2a Shortage will be placed on water providers for 2023. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Lake Powell upstream on the Colorado River is similarly experiencing water dropping to its lowest level since it was filled in the 1960s. A few passing clouds, otherwise generally clear. For more water information, visitwww.amwua.org. HOW DOES A TIER 1 SHORTAGE IMPACT ARIZONA? 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. Reclamation needs to take definitive action to reduce River demands throughout the Basin. But experts predict that water levels in Lake Mead will not likely recover soon amid current global warming projections and aridity. For years, officials have doled out more water than actually flows down the Colorado River, making it chronically overallocated. 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. Arizona also needs to do more beyond the water restriction from the declaration Lake. Pool was designed to protect the framework of the 2019 Drought Response Operation.... Have transformed into strip malls and apartment buildings on water providers for 2023 Bureau 's Colorado. On what we will [ ], Copyright 2016 | WeMAR Government Affairs Karen Fann gave us an on! 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