Title
Intergovernmental Agreement for Storage, Recovery, and Exchange of Colorado River Water Between the Cities of Phoenix and Avondale - Amendment (Ordinance S-47433)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to execute an amendment to Intergovernmental Agreement 148412 between the City of Phoenix and the City of Avondale for storage, recovery, and exchange of Colorado River water to expand the agreement to permit the storage and exchange of New Conservation Space water from the Salt River.
Report
Summary
On Nov. 1, 2017, the City of Phoenix (Phoenix) executed an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the City of Avondale (Avondale) in which Avondale agreed to allow Phoenix to store some of its Colorado River water in Avondale’s underground storage facility for later recovery and exchange during times of shortage. Phoenix would like to expand the IGA to permit storage and exchange of New Conservation Space (NCS) water from the Salt River that is captured in the storage capacity created by Modified Roosevelt Dam. Unlike Salt River Project water, NCS water can be used anywhere in the City or stored underground to earn long-term storage credits. While Phoenix continues to pursue a water resource management strategy of storing Colorado River water available today for use during future shortages, authorizing the storage of NCS water in this agreement creates additional water resource management options. During times of shortage, Phoenix can recover those credits (pump water) from Avondale’s wells and exchange the pumped water with an equal amount of Avondale’s Colorado River water delivered to Phoenix through the Central Arizona Project aqueduct.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The City Council approved Storage, Recovery, and Exchange of Colorado River Water Between the Cities of Phoenix and Avondale IGA 148412 (Ordinance S-44010) on Nov. 1, 2017.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Karen Peters and the Water Services Department.