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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix begin to see winter’s effect on Arizona
Posted
INDEPENDENT NEWSMEDIA
The National Weather Service advises drivers to be careful as they approach unbridged crossings of the Salt River during the next week.
The release of water from Bartlett Dam on the Verde River may cause roads to flood, a sign of “the productive storms experienced this winter and the subsequent runoff,” according to Salt River Project.
The utility company said the releases are controlled and will create more storage, providing flexibility for the upcoming snowmelt and runoff season.
A Tempe spokesperson said Monday, March 13, that a “small amount of water is flowing in the Salt River bed and over the dam at Tempe Town Lake.
“At this time, the city expects minimal impact to the lake and surrounding areas and does not anticipate changes in operation for Tempe Town Lake.”
The National Weather Service, in separate announcements over the weekend, said “flooding of unbridged crossings across the Salt River upstream of Tempe Town Lake is imminent or occurring.”
It noted McKellips Road in Mesa is prone to flooding at the Salt River.
NWS officials added later that “ongoing water release from Tempe Town Lake” could lead to flooding at 67th and 91st avenues where they cross the Salt River in Phoenix.
Earlier this month, SRP officials said while the releases are expected to be maintained at a low level, the water will eventually be visible flowing through the normally dry Salt River.
"SRP monitors the watershed and reservoir system year-round to ensure a reliable supply for the Valley," Charlie Ester, manager of SRP water management, said.
"This winter has proven to be a productive year for the watershed, which is good news as SRP is able to store the water for future years."
Unlike the Colorado River system, which is facing severe shortages due to the drought “and a structural deficit where annual demand exceeds annual runoff, the Salt and Verde reservoir systems are nearly in balance where annual demand is close to the annual supply,” the SRP release stated.
“However, in wet years runoff can exceed the available capacity of the reservoir system.”
SRP officials said the utility will provide the water to the cities and irrigation districts that take deliveries from its system.
Additionally, they said, the water SRP is releasing will flow downstream in the Salt River and recharge the aquifer, which helps Valley cities and water providers.
Recent SRP surveys have determined that snowpack on the 13,000-square-mile watershed that replenishes the Verde River reservoirs is the second deepest it’s been in 30 years.
