With Arizona forced to make water cuts amid a historic shortage, Valley cities are having to step up to lessen the impact on residents.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation declared a Tier 2a water shortage on Aug. 16. The Colorado River Basin states, which includes Arizona, had until Aug. 15 to reach an agreement to save two to four million acre-feet of water in 2023, but the deadline passed without an agreement. The Bureau of Reclamation estimates that Lake Mead water levels will fall to just 1,036 feet by the end of this year due to years of prolonged drought and low water run-off, accelerated by the effects of climate change. For Arizonans, this means the state will reduce its water deliveries from the Colorado River by 592,000 acre-feet. Tribal land and Phoenix cities will be the most impacted.
“Every sector in every state has a responsibility to ensure that water is used with maximum efficiency,” said Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Tanya Trujillo in a statement following the shortage declaration. “The Interior Department is employing prompt and responsive actions and investments to ensure the entire Colorado River Basin can function and support all who rely on it. We are grateful for the hardworking public servants who have dedicated their lives to this work, and who are passionate about the long-term sustainability of basin states, tribes and communities.”
