Title
Colorado River Update
Description
This report provides information regarding the current conditions in the Colorado River Basin and potential for upcoming declared shortages in Colorado River supplies delivered through the Central Arizona Project.
THIS ITEM IS FOR INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION.
Report
Summary
The entire Colorado River Basin, including Arizona and six other states, has been in a state of drought for over 20 years. Hot and dry conditions, combined with a lack of precipitation and effective snowpack runoff, have reduced the two main reservoirs in the region, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, to near-historic low levels. In August 2021, the United States Department of the Interior is expected to declare the first Tier 1 shortage in the Lower Basin of the Colorado River for 2022. In accordance with the Drought Contingency Plan adopted by the state in 2019, this declaration will result in a 512,000 acre-foot reduction of Colorado River supplies delivered to Central Arizona water users, or 18 percent of the total Arizona supply.
Tom Buschatzke, Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and Cynthia Campbell, Water Resources Management Advisor, will provide a briefing on the current conditions of the Colorado River and the anticipated 2022 Tier 1 shortage. Director Buschatzke will describe the impacts of the Drought Contingency Plan and shortage declaration in Arizona and Ms. Campbell will describe the impacts of a declared shortage on water resources available to the City of Phoenix.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Water Services Department.