KTAR News is dedicated to covering stories about Arizona's water supply and how the Colorado River shortage impacts all facets of life. The Water Watch series examines how water is necessary for energy generation, advanced manufacturing, housing development and continuing our way of life in the desert.
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A swath of cyber-attacks on U.S. water infrastructure over the last few weeks begs the question, could something like that happen here in Arizona? At the end of July, wastewater utilities in at least five states reported coordinated cyber breaches targeting programmable logic controllers, or the brain of the computer, that are connected to pumps, valves and pressure systems.
Sedona is open for business! President of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce David Key says the off-season is a great time to visit, adding the city has experienced a dip in tourism following the Pocket Fire. He says while Oak Creek and some hiking trails are still closed, there are hundreds of miles of trails that are open.
Sedona has a $1 billion a year hospitality industry, with 3/4 of that revenue generated from visitors.
An Arizona water leader says the federal framework for the Colorado River doesn't provide enough certainty for the lower basin. Director of the ASU Kyl Center for Water Policy, Sarah Porter, told a SciLine webinar the Final Environmental Impact Statement is focused on protecting water infrastructure and the ability to produce hydropower. However, she adds it doesn't resolve conflict between the upper and lower basins.
Low flows through the Grand Canyon are creating problems for wildlife and commercial boating. Flows down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon have dropped significantly over the last year due to an abysmal winter and less releases from Lake Powell.
An Arizona State University water expert has received an award from the United Nations for his work using NASA satellites to map groundwater. ASU global futures professor Jay Famiglietti will be presented with the Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water at the UN office in Vienna later this year. Famiglietti explains his research uses gravity recovery and climate expert satellites to create maps that track groundwater movement.
The Arizona Tri-University Recharge Project report looks at how to capture water across the state and increase groundwater recharge. Researchers from Northern Arizona University, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona used satellite-based methods to develop information. It found a massive amount of water is being lost to evapotranspiration, water loss through soil and plants.
The Grand Canyon's water supply comes from snowmelt on the Kaibab Plateau. Professor of eco-hydrogeology at Northern Arizona University's School of Earth and Sustainability Abe Springer says the water quality has become more turbid, meaning the amount of sediment suspended in the water.
If you think food prices are high now, they could get even higher as additional Colorado River water cuts are on the way. About 70% of the state's water supply goes to agriculture, but cutting ag means less food. Pinal County cotton farmer Todd Thelander says he first experienced water cuts in 2022.
The city of Scottsdale is looking to acquire new water sources as it braces for Colorado River water cuts. Scottsdale gets about 70% of its water supply from the Central Arizona Project - Colorado River Water. Mayor Lisa Borowsky said the city is working to purchase 15,000 acre-feet of water for $8.25 million.