Arizona will face an 30% reduction in Colorado River Water allocation starting in 2022. This will happen when the US Bureau of Reclamation, the federal authority charged with managing the supply, declares a Tier1 emergency in August.
That declaration is a certainty
Lake Mead, the state’s primary source of Colorado River Water, is at 38% of capacity. That is five feet over the trigger shortage level. The declaration will allow Arizona take no more than 70% of its allowable water supply.
Cities should prepare
According to State Water Director Tom Buschatzke, users should be preparing for drought water reductions even though most of the water cuts will impact agricultural users first. “Despite mitigation efforts for those farmers, ag entities in impacted areas ultimately may have to reduce acreage by 30% to 40%.” Under Tier1, water banking and replenishment would also be eliminated.(source)
According to Buschatzke, there may be some locales that may want to start preparing. The drought may well last another 20 years. “It’s up to cities to put in homeowner restrictions.”
Oro Valley residents conserve
The town of Oro Valley has a very successful resident-centric water saving program. Residents can follow their water consumption daily if they wish. They can ask for and participate in water audits provide by the the town. They plant desert appropriate flora. Use water efficient drip systems.
…Town needs to follow suit
At the same time the Town of Oro Valley advocates for growth which results in the need for even more total drinking water consumption. Recently, the town reopened a golf course that uses far more drinking water than all the water residents save each year.
The town’s water director has stated on repeated occasions that Oro Valley has enough water for the next 100 years, that the town can accommodate growth, and that it costs too much ($4million) to bring reclaimed water to the Pusch Ridge reopened golf course.
…Could extend the reclaimed water system to save millions of gallons of drinking water
What he has failed to mention is that the Oro Valley Country Club currently used drinking water for its course. Thus, extending the reclaimed water system to Pusch Ridge would then bring this water close to the OVCC so it could also switch over. Imagine the millions of acre feet of drinking water that would save.
We wonder: Isn’t his position better suited for climates where this is plenty of water and not one facing a 20-year drought with no end in sight?
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