SRP is conducting regular maintenance on a portion of the canal system, but first they must drain some of the water and round up the fish. The fish are transported downstream so crews can move silt, remove trash and complete concrete repairs.
The Yavapai-Apache Nation near Middle Verde is building a water reclamation facility to replace open sewage lagoons, which will help protect the Verde River. Chairman Buddy Rocha Jr. says the tribal land is on a floodplain. He calls the sewage lagoons irresponsible planning. The reclamation plant will help conserve Verde River water by repurposing it as wastewater.
SRP is helping to reduce water use at Chandler parks by about 10% each year. It's through their landscape water efficiency assessment program. An independent contractor will conduct 15 assessments over the next five years and kick in $10,000 per project for improvements.
The town of Camp Verde has recently implemented two water projects to help protect the Verde River. The first involves harvesting rainwater for gardening or farming. And they've also replaced fixtures around town with low water use ones.
A roughly $250 million dollar project called a SCIF will allow the Salt River Project to make water deliveries to Central Arizona Project. CAP Assistant General Manager Darrin Francom says it will allow for more flexibility in years when the Colorado River is under a Tier I shortage, but the Salt and Verde River reservoir systems are full.
ASU's Arizona Water for All had researchers go door to door in Yuma County to talk about issues community members might be having with their water. Testing and interviews found residents had hard water with high levels of minerals. Research scientist on the project Patrick Thompson said high mineral content doesn't make water unsafe to drink, but it can impact the taste.
The unincorporated town of Wenden in La Paz County is sinking due to industrial groundwater pumping. La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin says there are two solutions. To pass a state law that places restrictions on groundwater pumping or for the governor to create an active management area.
Veolia's Hubgrade Center in Scottsdale helps over 300 municipalities in North America mange water. As the world's largest water company, Veolia uses artificial intelligence and virtual reality to improve operations at wastewater treatment plants.
SRP has installed the first of its kind hydrologic flume along the Verde River to measure how much snow melt makes it into the watershed. The flume will help measure how much water is being absorbed by the ground and atmosphere, and the actual water yield making it into the river.
You can read more water news at KTAR.com. Brought to you by AMWUA.
The seven basin states, including Arizona, must agree to new operating guidelines for the Colorado River by the end of 2025. Central Arizona Project President Terry Goddard says the Grand Canyon State has been bearing the brunt of Colorado River water cuts and it's time for the upper basin states to agree to some cuts.