Cave Creek mayor warns Colorado River cuts may not save Arizona town
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Cave Creek Mayor Robert Morris said the Arizona town of about 5,000 people may not survive planned Colorado River cuts despite capping growth and reviving old wells. The federal plan requires California, Nevada and Arizona to reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually over two years. Nevada sued the Interior Department and Bureau of Reclamation this week over planned reductions of up to 70% of its river water.
Key Facts
- The Bureau of Reclamation plan requires California, Nevada and Arizona to collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually for the next two years.
- Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest reservoirs in the U.S., both hit record lows this month.
- Nevada sued the Interior Department and Bureau of Reclamation this week over planned reductions of up to 70% of its Colorado River water in the next decade.
- Eight other Bureau of Reclamation reservoirs recently recorded their lowest levels in at least 30 years, including Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico.
- Cave Creek, Arizona, gets nearly all of its water from the Colorado River and was already forced to make cuts this year.
Cave Creek's Water Crisis
Cave Creek Mayor Robert Morris said the town of about 5,000 people may not stay afloat despite capping growth, reviving old wells, and striking water deals. The town gets nearly all of its water from the Colorado River, which serves 40 million people across the U.S. West and has been dwindling due to climate change, demand, and overuse. Cave Creek was already forced to make cuts this year and stands to lose more under the new federal plan. Morris likened the situation to planning for a meteor strike: "You can see it coming, but you can't get out of the way and you don't know what the damage is going to be."
Federal Plan and State Responses
Under the Bureau of Reclamation's plan, California, Nevada and Arizona will collectively reduce water use by 1.25 million acre-feet annually in the next two years, with the possibility of larger cuts depending on conditions. Colorado, Utah, Wyoming and New Mexico are not required to make cuts for now but could voluntarily reduce water. Nevada raised the stakes this week by suing the Interior Department and the Bureau of Reclamation, saying basic needs in the Las Vegas region will go unmet if the area has to absorb planned reductions of up to 70% of its Colorado River water in the next decade. The bureau said Thursday it does not comment on litigation. Tom Buschatzke, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, said, "The uncertainty is going to continue to build in the wrong direction."
Reservoir Record Lows
Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the two largest reservoirs in the country, both hit record lows this month. Eight other reservoirs operated by the Bureau of Reclamation recently recorded the lowest levels in at least the last 30 years. Among them is Elephant Butte Lake in New Mexico, critical for supplying water for crops in southern New Mexico, Texas and Mexico. The Green Mountain Reservoir serves the western part of Colorado, and the Guernsey Reservoir in Wyoming funnels water to farmers in the eastern part of the state and western Nebraska. A record snow drought means there is far less water to recharge reservoirs, aquifers, and snowpacks.
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Cave Creek mayor warns Colorado River cuts may not save Arizona town
