On a recent mid-September afternoon, a wonderful thunderstorm, the kind of storm monsoon-lovers dream of, dumped about 3” of much needed rain in Carefree. Leaves glistened, the aroma of wet creosote bushes permeated the air, washes flowed, temperatures dropped, albeit temporarily, and, after months of dormancy, windshield wipers came to life. It was a very special day!
For communities in the grips of a 25+ year drought and facing significant Colorado River water delivery cuts, the storm felt like a much needed, overdue reprieve. Unfortunately, one major storm is not a drought breaker. The reason why lies in the complexity of our water supply.
While the water portfolio for every municipality or water company varies, many, like Carefree, derive their water from the Colorado River through the Central Arizona Project and groundwater delivered via wells drawing from aquifers. In Carefree, about 70% of our delivered water originates from the Colorado River and about 30% of our water comes from wells pulling water from an aquifer under our town.
