| The amazing thing about Phoenix is that you can go | | | | to gain votes in Nevada, Arizona and California! Later, |
| months without any precipitation at all, but water still | | | | while in Colorado he said he would never ever try to |
| flows out of the faucets, and the lawns get watered | | | | take more of Colorado's water. He found out the |
| and not too many people stop to try and figure it out. | | | | meaning of the expression, "Whiskey is for drinking, |
| Just ask any Phoenician where the water comes from | | | | water is for fighting". |
| and you might as well ask them to explain the inner | | | | The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336 mile |
| workings of a micro processor. | | | | system of aqua ducts, tunnels, pumping stations, and |
| The fact is that the average person uses 150 gallons | | | | pipelines that carry water from the Colorado River in |
| of water / day, and the Phoenix valley receives less | | | | Lake Havasu to central and southern Arizona. The |
| than 9 inches per year, so where does it come from? | | | | project cost $4.4 billion and was conceived in the |
| Phoenix does not rely on only one water source. City | | | | 1960's with the purpose of helping Arizona use its |
| and towns in Phoenix depend upon a combination of | | | | allotment of water from the Colorado river. It is |
| water sources or supplies. Each city depends on these | | | | designed to bring 1.5 million acre feet of Colorado River |
| sources in varying degrees. | | | | water to Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties and is |
| * SRP water that comes from the Salt and Verde | | | | owned and operated by the United States Bureau of |
| River watersheds. | | | | Reclamation. |
| * Colorado River water that is delivered via the Central | | | | Once it arrives, the water quality level is not of |
| Arizona Project (CAP) canal. | | | | sufficient quality for human consumption. The final step |
| * Ground water that is pumped from aquifers below | | | | is to pass through a water |
| the surface. | | | | santan-vista-water-filtering-equipment treatment plant |
| * Reclaimed water that is treated and used for | | | | which many confuse for a water reclamation plant |
| non-potable uses. | | | | used to treat sewage. The Town of Gilbert and the |
| SRP delivers water from the Salt and Verde rivers to | | | | City of Chandler recently opened a $102 million high |
| cities that have water rights that are appurtenant or | | | | tech water treatment plant for water received from |
| connected to the land. The cities that have water | | | | the Colorado River. The plant uses ballasted |
| rights to water from the Salt and Verde watersheds | | | | flocculation to treat Central Arizona Project water. At |
| that is delivered via the SRP are Avondale, Chandler, | | | | the current capacity, the plant can produce up to 24 |
| Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Peoria, Phoenix, Scottsdale, | | | | million gallons of water per day. Each city has the right |
| Tempe and Tolleson. Each city receives water based | | | | to half the capacity. |
| on the land included in the SRP service area for which | | | | For many years ground water has been pumped from |
| they have water rights. The service area does not | | | | the ground faster than it has been replaced, creating a |
| necessarily align with city boundaries. Gilbert for | | | | condition called "overdraft". As groundwater levels fall, |
| example, has 12,585 acres of land with no SRP water | | | | it is more expensive to pump and the water quality |
| rights. The total SRP service area consists of 248,000 | | | | diminishes. This is an on-going issue for the valley |
| acres and draws from the Salt and Verde river | | | | because many areas rely on groundwater as their |
| watersheds that cover 13,000 square miles, or | | | | primary water supply. |
| approximately 11% of the state of Arizona (114,000 | | | | To address this issue, the Arizona Groundwater |
| sq.miles). | | | | Management Code was passed in 1980. Part of the |
| SRP water is stored in 6 reservoirs; 4 on the Salt | | | | code was the establishment of 5 Active Management |
| River and 2 on the Verde River. Roosevelt Lake, the | | | | Areas, (AMA's) where the overdraft was the most |
| largest lake in Arizona, represents 70% of SRP's | | | | severe. For the Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson AMA's |
| storage capacity is located on the Salt river along with | | | | the primary goal is safe yield by the year 2025. Safe |
| Apache Lake, Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake. | | | | yield is defined as the long term balance of ground |
| Horseshoe and Bartlett reservoirs are located on the | | | | water withdrawn and natural and artificial recharge of |
| Verde river. | | | | the aquifer. Reclaimed Water |
| Over 100 years ago in 1903, the articles of | | | | Reclaimed water is a valuable resource and has a |
| incorporation were filed in Maricopa county by the Salt | | | | variety of uses, with the most important trait being it |
| River Valley Water Users Association, (SRVWUA). In | | | | reduces the dependence on other sources of water; |
| 1904, the federal government and SRVWUA signed | | | | namely ground water and surface water. Reclaimed |
| an agreement to build Roosevelt Dam, with the | | | | water is primarily used for industrial purposes, irrigation |
| members of SRVWUA pledging more than 200,000 | | | | of golf courses, parks, highway medians, common |
| acres of their land as collateral for the federal | | | | areas in communities, and providing decorative lakes |
| construction loan. Construction of the dam was | | | | which act as above ground storage facilities, and |
| completed in 1911 at a cost of $3.8 million. | | | | ground water recharge. Gilbert along with other cities in |
| SRP currently delivers more than 1 million acre feet of | | | | the Phoenix area are committed to using 100% of their |
| water to the water service area. SRP water is | | | | reclaimed water. |
| treated in city water treatment plants before being | | | | Most people would not even know that the Riparian |
| delivered to customers. Colorado River Water via the | | | | Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert is home to 7 |
| Central Arizona Project (CAP) | | | | recharge ponds. Reclaimed water is piped to the |
| In 1922, the signing of the Colorado River Compact | | | | recharge ponds where it enters the underground |
| divided 7 seven states into the Upper Basin (Utah, | | | | aquifer and in the process goes through the natural |
| New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado) and Lower | | | | filtering process, and helps replace groundwater that |
| Basin (Arizona, Nevada and California) with the intent | | | | has been withdrawn. The Central Arizona Project also |
| to divide the Colorado river equally between the Upper | | | | manages recharge projects with the goal of assisting |
| Basin and Lower Basin states. Within 5 months of the | | | | in groundwater recharge. Chandler's Veterans Oasis |
| signing, all states ratified the agreement except | | | | Park is similar to the Riparian Preserve in that it serves |
| Arizona! It was not until 1944 that Arizona ratified the | | | | as a recreational and environmental education facility |
| compact, 22 years later mainly because of allocation | | | | and a recharge facility that uses reclaimed water to |
| issues with California. Arizona continued to dispute | | | | recharge the aquifer and create a wetland |
| allocations until the Supreme Court finalized the | | | | environment. |
| allocations in the 1964 decision, Arizona vs. California. | | | | Believe it or not, I've only touched the surface of water |
| Arizona's current allocation is 2.8 million acre feet / | | | | management in Arizona. The more you learn about it |
| year. The Colorado river drains 244,000 square miles | | | | the more you realize there is so much more to learn. |
| across the seven states that comprise the Upper and | | | | The water we enjoy in Arizona now is the result of |
| Lower Basin states. | | | | preparation and work that began over 100 years ago |
| In light of this history, it is amazing that Senator John | | | | with tireless work by many. That diligence continues |
| McCain, GOP presidential candidate suggested in Aug. | | | | today by stewards of Arizona's most precious |
| 2008, that the 1922 Colorado River Compact be | | | | resource so that it is as easy as turning on the tap. |
| renegotiated due to the population growth in the Lower | | | | Our responsibility is to use it wisely, enjoy it and |
| Basin states. Ouch! That's one way to lose votes in | | | | conserve it so that we can continue to enjoy this oasis |
| Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Or was it | | | | in the desert. |