Arizona Future Water Shortage

Geology biology climatology and future of the valley.

Arizona future water shortage. The long term drought status for each watershed is determined by comparing the precipitation and streamflow percentiles for the past 24 36 and 48 months to a 40 year historical record. Future water scarcity will be compounded by the region s rapid population growth which is the highest in the nation. Arizona s long term drought status map is updated quarterly and the next update in early july will reflect the conditions of april may and june. As the colorado river s flow declines mostly due to overuse and climate change water supplies in seven states are imperiled by potential shortages.

And avoid critical water shortages along the. The table for the future. Arizona uses approximately 7 million acre feet maf of water each year from all sources about 2 8 maf of which comes from the. That shortage would happen when lake mead.

Farms like this one are facing tough times ahead as arizona s water levels run. The likelihood of a water shortage from the colorado river is measured by the bureau of reclamation based on annual projections of water levels in lake mead the reservoir that supplies much of arizona s water. Plenty of work is on the docket for 2020 and beyond to manage and preserve arizona s water supply even. Arizona already has projects set up to recycle waste water and they re.

Arizona is a visionary of water planning and management. A water shortage is in arizona s future like it or not. Arizona s goal shouldn t be to avoid a water shortage completely on lake mead but to ensure the coming. Starting in 2021 the odds are more than 20 percent of arizona facing a more severe shortage in which it would lose about 26 percent of its cap water.

Here s how to survive it opinion. Drought and shortage will arizona see water. Arizona will avoid a water shortage next year but water users may be forced to cut back in 2020 according to a new federal report released wednesday. Bureau of reclamation s outlook.