Water Management

An assured supply of Water is one priority for those living in Arizona.  On a recent field trip, we toured a pump station and learned about the Central Arizona Project (CAP), a project appropriated by federal and state authority to bring water from the Colorado River to Central Arizona.
    Central Arizona obtains water from three sources: groundwater, runoff from surrounding watersheds, and the CAP.  At first, groundwater use was mostly unregulated.  As a result, this source was overused, which led to empty aquifers and fissures developing as the ground sank into the voids created. Since 1980, state regulations have managed groundwater use. 
    Surface water runoff is managed by Salt River Project, where runoff water and snow melt from nearby mountainous areas collects in the Salt River and Verde River.  The river water is then captured in reservoirs behind a series of dams so the flow can be managed.
    CAP delivers Colorado River water from Lake Havasu, on the state's western border, to Maricopa, Pinal, and Pima counties in Central Arizona through a 336 mile system of pumping stations, concrete-lined canals, and aqueducts. Computer controlled commands send signals to various parts of the system to regulate water flow.  There is even a means to store excess water in underground "banks" for future use.  In addition, CAP is working with other groups to develop alternative water supplies, including desalination of ocean water.
     Awareness, management, and conservation will continue to play important roles in the future of Arizona's water sources.