…or why it may be time tore-activate the Arizona Navy

Shaun McKinnon, The Arizona Republic

Do we have enough water?

…enough for what?

Questions three

How much water do we have?

Who uses it?

Where will we find more?

Arizona’s water budget SURFACE WATER Colorado River 2.8 million acre-feet (39.8 percent)

1.5 million acre-feet delivered through the Central Arizona

Project canal to Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties

1.3 million acre-feet diverted from the river

In-state rivers 1 million acre-feet (14.2 percent)

600,000 acre-feet from the Salt and Verde rivers

400,000 acre-feet from the Gila and other rivers

GROUNDWATER 3.1 million acre-feet (43.6 percent)

RECLAIMED 200,000 acre-feet (2.4 percent)

WATER

TOTAL 7.1 million acre-feet

Arizona’s water usersWater use by sector, Arizona

7%

25%

68%

Industrial

Municipal

Agriculture

Pulling weeds

Cloud seeding

Desalination

100 years of … what?

To build homes in Arizona’s

cities you must have 100 years

of renewable water.

…except when you don’t

Meet the CGA .. CAR … CA#@&%The Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District

Out one well, in … somewhere

Dry

Estates RECHARGEBASIN

It’s C-A-G-R-D

A builder lacks a 100-year water supply, but

could pump groundwater

The builder joins the CAGD and receives permission to use

groundwater.

Each year, the water provider reports the

amount of water consumed.

The CAGRD buys the same amount of

surface water and recharges it.

The homeowner pays a monthly water bill and

an annual recharge assessment.

On paper, the Valley loses no net

groundwater.

Paper water

But the system isn’t sustainable long-term because CAGRD homes are draining aquifers in one location …

…and the CAGRD is recharging it in another. Water tables will fall beneath the homes and rise beneath the remote basins.

Paying (for) the pipers

So far, the CAGRD has used ‘excess’ Colorado River water to offset groundwater use. A

typical assessment for a CAGRD homeowner is $100 or less each year.

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

2005 2015 2025 2035 2045 2055 2065 2075 2085 2095

Acre

-Feet

2100 = 3.6 million acrefeet, 15.2 million people

2075 = 3.1 million acre-feet,12.9 million people

2045 = 2.4 million acre-feet,10.2 million people

2030 = 2.0 million acre-feet, 8.5 million people

…but the excess water won’t last much longer

An obligation forever

The CAGRD’s recharge obligation will continue to grow, forcing the district to buy water on the open market …

…and water assessments will grow as well … $500 … $1,000 …