F R O M T H E H E A D L I N E S


Lower Basin Pact Aims at Propping Up Lake Mead Water Level


Lower Colorado River Basin states


have agreed to a plan that is designed to boost the water level at Lake Mead by 10 feet through 2017.


A memorandum of understanding (MOU) developed in mid-December among the Arizona Department of Water Resources (Arizona DWR), Central Arizona Project (CAP), Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), South- ern Nevada Water Authority and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California outlines a variety of measures by which the water agencies can serve their customers while helping to main- tain the beleaguered lake, which has shown the effects of more than a decade of drought. Lake Mead is precipitously close to


the level at which Reclamation, which acts as the Lower Basin watermaster, would declare a supply shortage and begin issuing cuts in deliveries to water rights holders. Te key number is main- taining the lake’s surface level at 1,075 feet above sea level; when the first short-


age criteria would begin. Lake Mead in early December was at about 1,085 feet above sea level. According to CAP, it plans to store 345,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead by 2017, which would result in about 4 feet of additional elevation in the lake. Tat, combined with the actions of the other water agencies, is expected to raise water level by 10 feet. CAP and SNWA would be affected most by a shortage declaration under the criteria developed in 2007. “Te drought response actions identi- fied in the MOU provide initial steps in establishing proactive, voluntary measures to reduce our near-term risk of Lake Mead reaching critical reservoir levels and will help ensure the reliabil- ity of the Colorado River system,” said Arizona DWR Director Michael Lacey in a statement. In an interview with the Colorado


Springs Gazette, John Entsminger, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority in Las Vegas, called the


10 • Colorado River Project • River Report • Winter 2014-2015


MOU a “system conservation agreement” that Lower Basin states could build on. “Even on average days, more water goes out of Lake Mead than goes in,” he said. According to CAP, a portion of the water supply for the city of Phoenix will be replaced with local supplies, reducing the draw on Lake Mead and allowing more Colorado River to stay in the reser- voir. In November, a report by Moody’s Investor Service said Phoenix’s water supply is “strong due to a combination of diverse sources, substantial volume of available water and prudent long-term planning and creative storage solutions.” Furthermore, the city’s water infrastruc- ture “maintains ample flexibility and capacity for growth.” “Importantly, while the drought affecting the Colorado River basin has not yet materially weakened the system’s credit profile, future rating reviews will remain focused on the system’s ability to maintain fiscal stability and manage water availability stress in the event the drought persists and water supply is cur- tailed,” according to a ratings announce- ment. “Still, Moody’s believes that in the event of a shortage declaration on the Colorado that the city will continue in its ability to meet its customers’ demands for many years to come due to a com- bination of substantial entitlements, Phoenix’s high priority rights, alternative supply and banked water.” In a statement, Phoenix Mayor Greg


Stanton said the report “confirms what we already know: Phoenix is the leader when it comes to forward planning and inventive solutions in sustainable water management.” Prior to the report’s release, Phoenix


agreed with the city of Tucson to store some of its unused Colorado River water in Tucson aquifers and to establish a Colorado River Resiliency Fund of $5.5 million annually to share wells with its local water utility partners and to store some of its unused Colorado River water in local underground recharge facilities. Elsewhere, the Arizona Republic


reported in November that the Phoenix


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