Salt River Project has begun a low-level water release from Bartlett Dam on the Verde River that will require the closure of McKellips Road when it reaches the East Valley.

The release is necessary because of “the productive storms experienced this winter and the subsequent runoff,” officials of the Tempe-based utility said in a release.

According to SRP, reservoirs on the Verde River are nearing capacity, and the release will create more storage, providing flexibility for the upcoming snowmelt and runoff season.

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 in the next week and result in the closure of McKellips Road in the East Valley.

"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.