Less Water
January 19, 2010 | AZPM
Story by Christopher Conover
The winter rains may have finally arrived in Southern Arizona, but they are not solving the decade long drought. The missing rainfall across the region coupled with more demand means the Colorado River is running lower than water managers had hoped. And that means in the coming years, for the first time the Central Arizona Project may have to declare a shortage. In the short term, water managers say a shortage is not catastrophic. Arizona has stored water from the Colorado River for years so we can turn to that water bank if the need arises. The shortage, however, is another reminder of how scarce a resource water is in the desert Southwest.
Adding to the concerns about shortages along the Colorado is a decision by a California judge striking down what is known as the QSA between the seven Colorado River Basin states. The QSA would have weaned California from its over drawing of the Colorado and at the same time ensured the water still was supplied to the Salton Sea. But the judge threw the deal out because it committed the state of California to a long-term expense that the Legislature didn’t approve. Arizona is what is called a junior partner on the Colorado. Part of the agreement in the 1960’s allowing Arizona to build the Central Arizona Project was that Arizona would lose water first in the event of a shortage. The QSA softened that language, giving Arizona more legal wiggle room when it comes to Colorado River Water. The judge’s ruling is being appealed.
