Phoenix Water Bear

TIME OUT?

We just returned from Lake Mead, where we took a tour of the dam and the turbine room. The BLM tour guide took us to just above the Nevada side turbines, where we could see a 30-foot pipe that led down to the turbines.  Then we saw the turbine room itself, where only two of the turbines were operating.

I asked him the status of the research on Glen Canyon dam – where they are evaluating whether the side tunnels can stand the cavitation if they have to empty the lake.  He didn’t know the answer.  However, he thought that Lake Powell was ten or so feet from losing electric power production.

In any case, the dramatic “bathtub ring” was easily visible around the side of the lake.  We marveled at the loss of water since the dam was full.  The top of the four large penstocks gleamed in the sun.  I believe the power production of the Hoover dam is now about 60-70% of normal, due to the loss of water height.

Lake Powell is inching closer to power production loss, possibly later in 2023.

And still no announcement from the BLM regarding recommendations for water cutbacks.  One wonders what sort of discussions are going on behind closed doors.  I guess we will just have to wait to find out.

What to Do to Save the Colorado

As the drought continues, some valley developers are running into problems securing water This is happening because the AZ Dept of Water Resources (agency that issues water certificates) is questioning whether existing groundwater supplies are enough for these projects.

In certain cities – Phoenix, Chandler, and Mesa – ADWR has designated they have an assured or adequate water supply.  However, in outlying areas where certain municipalities don’t have such a designation, developers may have trouble getting such clearance.  In spite of this, some large developers continue to build like there is no tomorrow, even questioning the ADWR’s and the state’s calculations for these areas!  (As reported by Angela Gonzalez in 8/26/22 Arizona Business Journal)

(The following is a summary of a Viewpoints article by Joanna Allhands on 8/27/22) (5 Things That Must Happen to Save the Colorado):

1.Stop kicking the can

After multiple attempts to apply Band-Aids to leave more water in Lake Powell and Mead, we’ve hit a crossroads.  We’d need to conserve an additional 2.5 million more acre-feet in 2023 simply to keep these lakes from going lower. If we don’t do a lot more to shrink the imbalance between supply and usage, then the lakes may be done!

2.All this requires sacrifices from everyone

There are no silver bullets!  Every way out of this will be painful, imperfect, and unpopular. Everyone must do their part.

3.Agree to Basic framework

The lower basin states which rely on Like Mead will have to take more cuts than the upper basin, which rely on Lake Powell.  This is true because the lower basin uses more water and if the drain on Mead isn’t slowed, then downstream users will suck Mead dry, in spite of what we do to shore up Powell. California, with 4.6 million acre-feet of usage, must come to the table. So, if we could agree to a basic framework, then we might be ahead of where we are now.

4.Reclamation must do its job

Right now the Bureau of Reclamation is holding off on a threat of its unilateral action. Some think the basin states are waiting for it to act. In any case, with no agreement from the states up to now, we need to keep pressuring the Bureau.

A future with no water flowing through the Grand Canyon and no usable Lake Mead is unthinkable.

Joanna Allhands, Columnist for the AZ Republic in the Opinion Section of 8/17/22 lays out the recent developments in the ongoing water crisis of the Colorado  River.

Weeks ago, the Bureau (which oversees Lakes Powell and Mead) had given the 7 basin states a 8/16/22 deadline to come up with two to four million acre-feet of cuts.  Barring that, it would step in and impose the cuts itself.

Arizona was already facing a Tier 2a cut by the end of 2022 and a Tier 2b cut loomed for 2023.  The decline in the lakes’ levels had recently accelerated and as stated in the Republic article, Mead is projected to slide below its minimum protection level of 1,020 by next summer and even below 1,000 feet by 2024. This would be close to the level at which power could no longer be generated in Lake Mead.

But, surprise, The Bureau of Reclamation DIDN’T step in when the states couldn’t reach a deal. And the Bureau didn’t offer any details on how much water or when it wants it saved.

This came as a total surprise.  What was not a surprise was that the 7 basin states could not reach an agreement.  Some reporters quoted bickering in the meetings taking place – no surprise.

Reclamation’s modeling suggests that at least 2.5 million acre-feet of water use in 2023 and beyond need to be cut simply to maintain minimum levels in the two lakes. This is a huge amount.

The article also points out that for years the game has been to suggest voluntary collaboration among states and voluntary conservation.  This clearly has not worked and now we need to do a lot more. 

As pointed out in a recent blog of mine, the north Phoenix pipeline being constructed in my neighborhood would make up for only 1/7 of the proposed cuts in 2023.

We have some backup in the large reservoirs east of Phoenix and in underground storage, however if one looks at the graphs of the decline in Mead and Powell, as the article states, we are on a straight shot to “dead pool,” a situation where no water can pass downstream to the lower basin states.

If that happens, we will have to draw on our last defense – the groundwater and the eastern reservoirs.  But what if these are exhausted as the drought continues?

Clearly we need decisive action on the part of the Bureau and the basin states.

(And de-sal, in my opinion should have been on the table years ago). (see recent blog on de-sal) (author)

A recent (July 31) article in the Arizona Republic outlines how local golf courses are going over their water allotments, underlining how little conservation is being taken seriously in the Phoenix area. (author)

As the article states, Arizona golf courses have claimed that they are part of the drought solution, often claiming that they are national leaders in water conservation.

However, a three-month research effort by reporters at the Republic has found differently.  The Arizona Department of Water resources has tried to cut golf course water allotments by 3.1% but has failed to do so.

The Republic found: 30-50% of AZ golf courses have exceeded their allotments each year in the past two decades. The share of golf courses relying on reclaimed or recycled water has been unchanged since 2006.

While AZ golf courses use only 2% of the state’s water, they use 9% of water consumed in municipalities.

In a typical year, the collective over-consumption has totaled around 15,000 acre-feet – enough to sustain 45,000 single family homes for a year.

The Dept. of water resources can set water allotments for all golf courses, but only has authority to act against courses that use groundwater.  In 2020, 45% of golf courses that depend on groundwater exceeded their allotments.

Almost all golf courses that have exceeded allotments have faced no consequences.  This is due to the fact that the Dept of Water Resources has stipulated penalties only twice in the last 20 years. The department’s stated goal is to “collaborate rather than levy fines.” 

But obviously this has not worked very well, given the numbers. And the governor’s office has stated that “it is more important to bring users into compliance than to levy fines.”

In a time of serious drought and impending Colorado cuts, it would seem to me (author) that even a simple conservation effort for golf courses could be implemented and monitored.