Water Woes XXXVII-Drought-Colorado River-Local Water Items
- Mark L. Johnson
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Arizona Turns Red!
National Weather Service (NWS) Tucson reports only 0.91" of precipitation at the Tucson Airport for the last six months! Most of Arizona is now in the Extreme Drought Stage. Not good for local water supply and the potential for wildfire is now extremely high.
On a positive note, the NOAA Climate Predication Center is forecasting a 33%-40% chance for above normal rainfall for the 2025 Monsoon season.
Colorado River System Status
The current (3/30/25) total reservoir contents for the Colorado River System is 24.62 million acre feet (MAF).
Lake Mead (33% full) is at the same level as reported on 10/7/24. However, Lake Powell (34% full) is 5% lower than reported on10/7/24.
Snow Water Equivalent (in) in the upper Colorado River Watershed is 86% of normal.
The United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) is still projecting the Colorado System will be in Tier 1 Shortage for 2026 and maybe Tier 2a for 2027.
Post 2026 Operational Guidelines and Strategies For Lake Powell And Lake Mead
As reported in Water Woes XXXIV-Colorado River System Beyond 2026, the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR) has proposed four alternatives to operate the Colorado River System after 2026. There has been no progress on the negotiations and it is now more complicated with a new administration in place. TA still supports the CUT-20 Program.
Tucson Water-Proposes Water Rate Increase For Unincorporated Areas
Tucson Water is proposing a rate increase for its customers in unincorporated areas of Pima County. This would not impact Tucson Water customers in Marana, e.g. Dove Mountain and it is possible that those customers could actually see a $2 reduction in their monthly bill.
Marana Water-Changes To Use & Transport of Water
Marana Town Council is considering a change to the Marana Town Code at its 4/15/25 Town Council meeting in regards to the use and transportation of water by customers. The proposed change better defines the use of construction water and standpipe water and where it can be transported and used. A provision is also included to prevent re-sale of this water. This all makes good sense. Click on the link below to see the proposed additions/revisions to the Marana Town Code: