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| 1. The Valley's secure water future is the result of over 100 years of visionary planning. |
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| 1911 |
Roosevelt Dam completed on Salt River. |
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1917
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Federal government transfers management and operation of Salt River Project (SRP) to local residents.
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1933-1940
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Federal government funds improvements to municipal water production and distribution systems as part of public works projects to combat the Great Depression.
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1952-1964
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Valley cities sign agreements with SRP for delivery of water to municipal treatment plants.
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1963
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US Supreme Court decision in Arizona v. California case paves way for construction of Central Arizona Project (CAP).
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1968
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Congress authorizes construction of the Central Arizona Project to distribute Arizona’s share of the Colorado River.
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1972
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Growing public awareness and concern for controlling water pollution led to enactment of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act Amendments of 1972. As amended in 1977, this law became commonly known as the Clean Water Act.
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1973
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Agreement reached to use treated effluent as a water supply for the Palo Verde Nuclear Plant; first of major water reuse projects.
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1974
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First filing made in what will become a general adjudication of water rights in Arizona.
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1974
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The Safe Drinking Water Act is passed, requiring the EPA to establish national standards for contaminants in drinking water systems.
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1980
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Arizona legislature adopts Groundwater Management Act: creates Arizona Department of Water Resources, regulates groundwater by municipal customers on the basis of per capita use, and requires new housing developments in management areas to prove the availability of a 100 year supply of water.
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1984-1985
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Valley cities sign contracts for delivery of CAP water.
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1985
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First Colorado River water arrives from CAP for direct use in municipal systems.
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1986-1987
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Plan 6 funding agreements completed; Valley cities help pay for improving dam safety and for additional water stored behind Roosevelt Dam.
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1986
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Arizona legislature creates legal mechanism for water recharge projects.
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1987
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Legislature grants authority to CAP to conduct underground storage and recovery projects; today there are four recharge projects in the Valley with a combined capacity of 365,000 af.
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1988
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Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community water rights settlement signed.
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1990
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CAP / SRP Interconnect Facility completed; allows Colorado River water to be delivered thru SRP canal system to Valley municipal water treatment plants and to groundwater replenishment projects.
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1990
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Fort McDowell Indian Community water rights settlement signed.
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1990
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Arizona legislature authorizes funding for groundwater recharge demonstration projects.
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1993
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Secretary of the Interior declares that the Central Arizona Project is “complete.” Repayments begin, as does a dispute over the final amount due the Federal government.
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1993
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Valley cities sign agreement creating GRUSP (Granite Reef Underground Storage Project) for groundwater recharge.
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1993
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Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District ("CAGRD”) created; allows CAP water to be used for demonstrating an assured supply of water for housing developments.
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1996
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Arizona Water Banking Authority created to store Arizona’s unused portion of its Colorado River water allocation.
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2004
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Arizona Water Rights Settlement signed; settles claims by the Gila River Indian Community and establishes final cost for CAP.
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2006
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7 Basin States agreement to minimize shortages of Colorado River water.
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2. The Valley has a diverse and balanced water supply portfolio including four different water sources: surface water, Colorado River water, groundwater and reclaimed water.
The Arizona Water Banking Authority (AWBA) was created to store unused Arizona Colorado River water to meet future needs for:
One of the benefits of Arizona’s long-term water planning is development of a balanced and diverse water supply that is over 50% surface water.
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Water Source
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Volume in Million Acre-Feet
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Percentage of Total
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Surface Water
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Colorado River
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2.8
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39
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Other Rivers
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1.4
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19
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Groundwater
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2.9
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40
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Reclaimed Water
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0.14
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2
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- Assuring adequate supply to municipal and industrial users in times of shortages or disruptions of the CAP system
- Meeting the management plan objectives of the Arizona Groundwater Code
- Assisting in the settlement of Indian water rights claims; and
- Exchanging water to assist Colorado River communities.
3. The Valley has been actively managing our groundwater for over 25 years, while other states are just beginning.
In 1980, the Groundwater Management Act was established. Key provisions of the Act include:
- Creation of Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)
- Established Active Management Areas (AMAs) that require groundwater management
- Conservation Programs for agriculture, municipal and industrial
- Creation of irrigation non-expansion areas (INAs)
- Assured water supply rules reduce municipal dependence on groundwater supplies
- Establishment of groundwater storage and recovery program
- Arizona program is more comprehensive than surrounding states (e.g., California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado)
4. No development can take place in the Valley without a guarantee that residents will have a 100-year supply of water
Hard to believe, but it's true. Any water provider in the Valley has to demonstrate an assured water supply, or no new building permits can be issued. A similar requirement exists for subdivisions that are developed outside of a water provider's service area. There are five criteria used to judge whether or not a water provider or subdivision has an assured water supply:
- Physical, legal and continuous availability of the water supply for 100 years (for just about everyone, this means the use of renewable water resources)
- Sufficient quality of the water supply
- Water use must be consistent with the management goal of the Active Management Area (most of the Valley is within the Phoenix and Pinal Active Management Areas)
- Water use must be consistent with the management plan of the Active Management Area (these include groundwater drawdown restrictions)
- Financial capability to construct any necessary water storage, treatment and delivery systems
5. In order to meet future needs, the Valley and State have adaptable water policies that enable supplies to shift between agricultural and municipal uses
The Groundwater Management Act (GMA) placed a limit on new agriculture with in the Phoenix metropolitan area
Overall water savings are realized when agricultural lands are converted to housing because the housing developments typically use less water than common agricultural crops, such as cotton.
6. There is never enough water to waste so cities and water providers have developed water conservation programs and drought plans.
- In 2000, The Phoenix Water Services Department put together a comprehensive report on water conservation [http://phoenix.gov/WATER/drtintro.html] in the face of the long-term drought that the Valley was experiencing, and still is.
- The Water Department feels that “The failure to plan for such shortages of water is irresponsible.”
7. The Valley pioneered the use of reclaimed water, and now reuses more than 75 percent of its reclaimed water supply.
- Use of treated wastewater in metropolitan Phoenix
- ~55% is directly reused
- ~16% is recharged for long-tem storage
- Examples of current reclaimed water use
- Intel microchip fabrication plant in Chandler
- Tempe SRP Kyrene Power Plant
- Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant (54 million gallons per day)
- Municipalities continuing to look for new and expanded ways to use reclaimed water
8. The Valley is prepared for drought because we "save water for a dry day" in surface reservoirs and underground water banks.
- Water Bank has stored 2.81 million acre-feet in underground reservoirs
- 2.42 million acre-feet in intrastate storage
- 386,000 acre-feet in interstate storage
9. The Valley's water supply is dynamic and constantly changing, so we must continue to stay informed and take action whenever necessary, to ensure the sustainability of this finite resource.
10. Because we understand that water is our most precious resource, we will always work diligently to maintain our "fair share."
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