With the arrival of 2024, we have officially entered a Tier 1 Colorado River Shortage. Now that it is here, what does it mean, and how does it impact Arizona and the AMWUA cities? We thought...
The Colorado River is in better condition than it was this time last year when water elevations at Lake Powell and Lake Mead were at critically low levels. While Mother Nature and this past wet...
Arizona’s weather continues to break records that we prefer not to brag about. After experiencing the driest monsoon on record in Phoenix and record-breaking heat that has continued into the...
The positive hydrology generated from this winter’s precipitation in the Rockies has raised the elevation of Lake Mead above 1,050 feet, the trigger elevation for a Tier 2 Shortage. Having...
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation has released the August 24-Month Study, which determines how the Colorado River system will be managed the following year based on the levels of Lake Mead. The...
Last week, Arizona, California, and Nevada announced a proposal to reduce their use of Colorado River water through 2026. This plan requires modest water reductions of 3 million acre-feet over the...
The Colorado River system is projected to reap the benefits of this winter’s above-average snowfall, at least for the short term. While it may bring a minor reprieve, the Colorado River Basin...
Water users across the Colorado River basin have been anxiously anticipating the release of a draft document outlining proposed steps to stabilize and protect the Colorado River system by the US...
Leaders from Valley communities gathered with U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema at AMWUA last week to discuss the water challenges they collectively face as the Colorado River situation escalates. City...
With the arrival of 2023 comes a Tier 2a Colorado River Shortage. Now that it is here, what does it mean, and how does it impact Arizona and the AMWUA cities? We thought answering frequently...
State and federal water leaders voiced urgency for decisive action to address the dire situation on the Colorado River at last week’s Colorado River Water Users annual conference in Las...
As Lake Mead and Lake Powell’s elevations continue to descend towards unprecedented low levels, the US Bureau of Reclamation has signaled it is considering more than one initiative to...
A historic drought, warmer climate, and overuse have all contributed to water levels in Lake Mead and Lake Powell rapidly declining to an unprecedented point. While drastic cuts and a long-term...
The Colorado River is a key water supply for the ten AMWUA municipalities to meet the water demands of 3.7 million residents and the Valley’s thriving high-tech manufacturing, defense,...
Uncertainty and frustration are widespread one week after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced that the Colorado River would be in a Tier 2a Shortage in 2023. The problem is not the Tier 2a...
What does a Tier 2a Shortage mean? The US Bureau of Reclamation declared a Tier 2a Shortage for the Colorado River in 2023 with its August 24-Month Study publication. Under the current framework...
The Colorado River's worsening conditions are dominating media stories and raising more questions than answers, even for municipal water providers. The unprecedented historic drought...
The Colorado River conditions have rapidly worsened to such a degree that the Federal Government will take extraordinary action to protect the system. The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner...
The news about the Colorado River, Lake Powell, and Lake Mead is escalating. While it may seem overwhelming and confusing, we want to try to explain what it all means to us here in the Phoenix...
The cities recognize that the conditions on the Colorado River are worsening quicker than anticipated. This reality was reiterated with the recent release of the US Bureau of Reclamation’s...
Water managers in Arizona, California, Nevada, along with the US Department of the Interior, have agreed to take swift action to voluntarily leave an additional 500,000 acre-feet of water in Lake...
Water managers in Arizona, California, Nevada, and the US Bureau of Reclamation have been working hard to determine what additional action is necessary to keep Lake Mead from falling below...
When talking about drought, shortage, and water in Arizona, conservation is often mentioned. While we understand the significance and importance of traditional conservation efforts, another form of...
We anticipate a Tier 1 Colorado River Shortage in 2022 will be declared next week with the release of the United States Bureau of Reclamation (BOR)’s August 24-Month study. This Tier 1...
Raging wildfires, an unrelenting record-breaking heatwave, and a drying Colorado River have generated significant concern about our water and our future in the Phoenix metropolitan...
The health of the Colorado River has been receiving significant attention with talks of a shortage in 2022. Now with the recent release of the United States Bureau of Reclamation's...
On March 19th, representatives from the seven states that rely on the Colorado River met to celebrate their collective agreement on the Drought Contingency Plans (DCP). In a letter to Congress, the...
Arizona took an important step on January 31 to protect its Colorado River water and maintain control of its future when the Governor signed legislation approving the State’s participation in...