Daniel Salzler No. 1217
EnviroInsight.org Four Items September 1, 2023
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1. Upper Agua Fria Watershed PartnershipMeetingSeptember 5, 2023, 10 am
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (312) 757-3121 Access Code: 555-529-925
New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts: https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/555529925
Draft Agenda
1. Introductions and Announcements
2. Arizona Metals Black Canyon City Kay Mine – updates: Tour
3. Candela Agua Fria Solar Farm: updates, Ash Creek Conservation Easement complete
4. ADOT <improvingi17.com>. Water Sources for Construction; updates? Black Canyon City
Community Meeting with Supervisor Gregory, August 14, 2023, Canon School, 5:30:
Recap
5. FAFNM – upcoming events, Wet/Dry Mapping details, annual meeting, September 30.
Details of Cuckoo Survey training; Orme SchoolAZGFD grant for bios to help students
develop an Orme Tea Wildlife Handbook.
6. Organizational efforts for UAFWP; Website work with BCHP – costs established; next
steps.; AF Parcel contact work with Tyler Preen at Yavapai County Assessors Office.
7. BCHP: Events: September 23, September 28, Preparations for January Event
8. Rural Water Management: Gail Griffin Opinion piece (in attached notes). How to answer
her objections?
9. ADEQ Clean Water Assessment: Comments due 9/11
Next Meeting: October 3, 2023 in person at Mingus Springs, Henry Dahlberg Host, Map to follow.
2. Dry Monsoon Season Increases Drought Conditions In AZ
By Katherine Davis-Young Published: Thursday, August 24, 2023 – 4:29pm
About82% of AZ is abnormally dry as of Aug 22, 2023
After a wet winter, drought conditions had significantly improved across Arizona. But now, our hot summer has started to reverse the trend.
As of May, the U.S. Drought Monitor reported more than 80% of Arizona was not in a drought. Three months later, almost 90% of the state is abnormally dry.
David Simeral, an associate research climatologist with the Western Regional Climate Center, said a weak monsoon season across the Southwest is to blame. The lack of summer rain has led to poor soil moisture and stressed vegetation.
“We’re also seeing stream flows around the state, particularly in Southeast Arizona, as well as areas on the Mogollon Rim, falling below the 10th percentile range, which is very low,” Simeral said.
Simeral said the Southeast corner of the state is seeing the most serious impacts, with parts of Cochise and Greenlee Counties in the U.S. Drought Monitor’s “severe drought” level.
“About half of their annual precipitation comes during the summer monsoon season, so they see, generally, a big green up in their grasses, but this year things are really starting to dry out,” Simeral said. “You have impacts to the agricultural community potentially, but also you have increased fire risks with the vegetation drying out.”
Simeral said El Niño climate patterns are likely to bring more warm and dry conditions to Arizona this winter.
3.
Lake Mead elevations are primarily determined by the water released from Lake Powell. Between 2007 and 2018, about 92% of total inflows into Lake Mead came from Lake Powell and 8% came from intervening flows between the Glen Canyon and Hoover dams. During that same period, the average releases from Lake Powell were approximately 8.9 million acre-feet (MAF) per year. However, as Lake Powell dips to lower elevations, releases may be reduced to protect Glen Canyon Dam infrastructure, as is being evaluated in the current SEIS process.
The water levels at Lake Mead are also critically important, as they determine operational decisions per the 2007 Interim Guidelines, the Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) and Minute 323. Thus, it’s important to understand the noteworthy elevations at Hoover Dam and what they mean.
First, Lake Mead’s normal “operating pool” is at elevation 1,219.6 feet, at which point there is 26.12 MAF in the lake.
Lake Mead continues to operate in normal conditions until the lake reaches 1,090 feet. This is the first level – Tier Zero – where DCP contributions are triggered. At Tier Zero, Arizona and Nevada make DCP contributions, along with Mexico under Minute 323.
Tier 1, which is the first shortage elevation in the 2007 Interim Guidelines, is triggered at an elevation of 1,075 feet.
Various other tiers were designated in the 2007 Interim Guidelines and DCP, with the deepest shortage being Tier 3 at 1,025 feet. When Lake Mead is at or below 1,025 feet, the total shortage volume between the Lower Basin States and Mexico is 1,375,000 acre-feet, with 720,000 acre-feet assigned to Arizona. Declining to elevation 1,025 also triggers a process for additional responsive actions to protect the system.
If Lake Mead were to hit 950 feet – power pool elevation – Hoover Dam would no longer be able to produce power. And if Lake Mead fell to 895 feet – dead pool – Hoover Dam would no longer be able to pass water downstream. Operating below power pool and near dead pool would result in increased risk to water delivery and would have adverse impacts on downstream resources and hydropower.
Lake Mead elevations are also dependent on the consumptive use needs in the lower Colorado River basin. Altogether, there is a supply/demand imbalance. To help alleviate this imbalance, many entities in the Lower Basin over the last decade have created system conservation or intentionally created surplus (ICS), which leaves water in Lake Mead.
More recently, the Department of Interior announced potential actions to reduce water consumption across the basin in light of critically low water supplies and dire hydrological projections. Some of these potential actions included assessing evaporation, seepage and losses, and determining appropriate beneficial use standards in the Lower Basin. These are actions that are being considered in parallel to modifying operations at the Glen Canyon Dam and Hoover Dam as contemplated in the SEIS.
4. Scottsdale, Tucson Form Partnership To Address Arizona’s Water Issues. The Scottsdale City Council signed an agreement Monday creating a water exchange partnership, fostering collaboration between the cities of Scottsdale and Tucson.
The agreement came out of a need to escalate more efficient water supply recourses between cities.
Tucson is executing a similar agreement with other Valley cities, according to a press release.
In the agreement, Scottsdale could exchange up to 5,000 acre-feet of Scottsdale’s Central Arizona Project (CAP) water on an annual basis For the exchange, Scottsdale can get credits that will be redeemed during shortages, the city said.
“Interjurisdictional, proactive measures like this benefit Scottsdale residents and show the state that local municipalities are taking forward-thinking action to make sure our communities have water for decades to come,” Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega said in the press release.
How does the water exchange partnership work?
Scottsdale will store its portion of CAP water at Tucson’s storage and recovery facility.
As a result, long-term storage credits will be earned for Scottsdale.
Tucson can recover the water from its facility and use it as needed within the city of Tucson.
In exchange for water usage, Scottsdale will get a portion of Tucson’s CAP supply directly out of the canal for use within Scottsdale.
CAP delivers water to Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties and serves more than 80% of Arizona’s population.
Taking steps to solve water issues in Arizona
Tucson Mayor Regina Romero noted the city is helping support Arizona cities to build their own water resilience.
“I am proud to help the City of Scottsdale and Mayor Ortega protect their precious water resources through this water exchange agreement,” Romero said in the press release.
“As our state continues to face a Colorado River mega drought, desert cities must continue working together to ensure a more resilient water future.”
Scottsdale Water has worked to heighten water conservation and infrastructure planning.
“Scottsdale recognizes that innovative solutions like this are the key to sustaining water resources as we continue to face the mega drought,” Ortega said in the press release.
The city council’s approval allows Scottsdale Water’s executive director the authority to enter into an intergovernmental agreement with Tucson.
Tucson approved its portion in early August. Both cities plan to sign the agreement by the end of the month.
Water storage could start as soon as September, the city said.KTAR News
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