State Perspectives on Water and
Climate Planning and
Management
4th BINATIONAL WATER AND CLIMATE WORKSHOP
Hermosillo, Sonora
–
Linda Stitzer, Arizona Department of Water Resources
lsstitzer@azwater.gov
State Management of Water Resources
Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR)
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ADWR does not control
water supplies or
infrastructure, which are
directly managed by water
utilities, CAP, and others
Mission is to secure long
term water supplies for
Arizona
Regulations, water permits,
groundwater recharge,
assured water supply and
enforcement powerprimarily groundwater
Arizona Water Supply & Demand
Annual Demand approx. 7.0 maf
Colorado River on-river diversions are 2.046 Maf of which 0.75 Maf is returned to the system for other use.
Assumes all well pumpage is groundwater, except for accounting surface wells along the Colorado River.
Demand does not include CAP long-term storage and system losses (approximately 0.3 Maf) or environmental
demands on the Colorado River (approximately 0.02 Maf)
WATER SUPPLIES 2001-2005
SECTOR DEMAND 2001-2005
Industrial
7%
Effluent 3%
CAP 22%
Groundwater
43%
Colorado
On-river
18%
In-state
Rivers
14%
Agricultural
71%
Municipal
22%
State Water Resources Management
Arizona Department of Water Resources
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Regulations and programs focused in Active
Management Areas (AMAs)
Groundwater rights with volumetric or regulatory limits
and no new agricultural lands
Conservation, groundwater recharge and water supply
augmentation programs
New development must use “renewable” water supplies
Long-range water management goals and plans
Water Management Areas
Prescott AMA goal:
safe-yield by 2025
Pinal AMA goals:
- allow development of nonirrigation uses
- preserve agriculture as
long as feasible
Santa Cruz AMA goal:
- maintain safe-yield
- prevent decline of water table
Phoenix AMA goal:
safe-yield by 2025
Tucson AMA goal:
safe-yield by 2025
State Water Resources Management
Arizona Department of Water Resources
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New management plan for each AMA
every ten years until 2025 to meet
management goal
Increasingly stringent conservation
requirements for agricultural,
municipal and industrial water users –
they determine how requirement is
met-different programs and strategies
Long-range water demand and supply
projection scenarios to assess and
predict goal progress
Climate Considerations in
Management Plans
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Climate variability only recently incorporated in
long-range water supply and demand projections
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Concerns about uncertainties in predictive models
4th Management Plan includes a water budget projection
scenario that incorporates Colorado River water shortage
Climate variability has been considered when
determining compliance with some conservation
regulations
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Flexibility accounts allow users to “bank” credits when use is
below conservation target and use in years when demand is
higher than conservation target
Arizona Water Atlas
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Compilation of statewide water
resource data for water planning
and public information
Data organized by planning area
(7) and groundwater basin (51)
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Surface & groundwater hydrology
Water demand and supply
Water quality
Climate and meteorological data
Resource Sustainability
Evaluation – Volume 9
http://www.azwater.gov
Table 8.4-1 Climate Data for the Santa Cruz AMA
A. NOAA/NWS Co-op Network:
Elevation
(in feet)
Period of
Record Used
for Averages
Nogales
3,813
Nogales 6 N
Station Name
Monthly Average Temperature
Range (in F)
Average Precipitation (in inches)
Max/Month
Min/Month
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Annual
1948-19831
78/Jul
45.5/Jan
3.41
1.20
9.64
3.65
17.90
3,560
1971-2000
78.9/Jul
45.5/Jan
3.40
1.35
10.19
4.09
19.03
Old Nogales
3,904
1892-19481
80.1/Jul
46.6/Jan
2.59
0.92
9.59
2.60
15.70
Tumacacori Natl Monm
3,266
1971-2000
81.1/Jul
48.4/Jan
3.37
1.03
9.48
3.52
17.40
Source: WRCC, 2005b
Notes:
Average temperature data from period of record shown; average precipitation data from 1971 - 2000
1
B. Evaporation Pan:
Station Name
Elevation
(in feet)
Period of
Record Used
for Averages
Avg. Annual
Evap
(in inches)
Nogales 6 N
3,560
1952-2005
91.20
Elevation
(in feet)
Period of
Record
Source: WRCC, 2005a
C. AZMET:
Station Name
Average Annual Reference Evaportranspiration, in
inches (Number of years to calculate averages)
None
D. SNOTEL/Snowcourse:
Station Name
Elevation
(in feet)
Period of
Record
Average Snowpack, at Beginning of the Month, as Inches Snow Water
Content (Number of measurements to calculate average)
Jan.
None
Feb.
March
April
May
June
Average daily minimum summer temperature
Average water year (October –September) temperature and
total water-year precipitation in Arizona from 1930-2002.
Source, CLIMAS
Winter (November-April) precipitation departures from average,
1000-1988, reconstructed from tree rings - Arizona NOAA Climate
Division 7
Arizona Drought Plan
Governor’s Drought Task Force (March 2003)
Developed during period of extreme drought and surface water shortage
Prepare for and mitigate the impacts of drought
Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan
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Identifies drought stages and potential actions by
the State, Communities/Utilities and Public
Normal-reduce vulnerability
Abnormally dry - raise consciousness
Moderate - voluntary reductions
Severe - curtailment
Extreme - eliminate non-essential uses
Arizona Drought Planning Structure
Governor’s Office & Cabinet
Arizona Department of Water Resources
Monitoring Committee
Interagency
Coordinating Group
Local Drought Impact
Group(s)
AZ’s plan emphasizes drought planning and
preparedness, innovation and action
Monitoring Technical Committee
•Monitors and assesses drought
conditions –
•weekly update to U.S. drought
monitor map
•monthly drought status update
•Produces Drought Monitor Reports –
quarterly with updated long-term
drought map
•Briefs the Governor’s Interagency
Coordinating Group on drought
conditions
http://www.azwater.gov/AzDWR/
StatewidePlanning/Drought/
Drought Monitor Report
Data provided by USDA-NRCS, graphic provided by
University of Arizona - CLIMAS
Quarterly Report
 Drought Status
 Arizona Reservoir Status
 Vegetation Health
 Mountain Streamflow and
Precipitation
 Temperature and Precipitation
 Weather Outlook
(Images taken by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s
National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NESDIS))
Local Drought Impact Groups
Outreach & Education
 Improve awareness
 Education the public
Monitoring
*Goal* Help the community, local and state
government define societal and economic
impacts of drought for better planning and
response
Mitigation & Response
 Develop mitigation and response strategies
 Identify funding and legislation needs
Interagency Coordinating Group
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Governmental and non-governmental
organizations
Identifies mitigation and response options
Directs state agency action to:
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Assess, develop and implement drought
response options
Advises Governor on drought action
Reviews Arizona Drought Preparedness Plan
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Recommendations for improving monitoring,
implementation and response actions
Provides an integral mechanism to coordinate and integrate
drought planning and management on all lands within Arizona
Drought planning for community
water systems
In 2005 State Legislature approved
Water System Plan Requirements for
all systems to include:
Water Supply Plan
Conservation Plan
Drought Plan
Purpose of drought plan is to ensure
that water systems reduce their
vulnerability to drought impacts and
are prepared to respond when drought
occurs.
Transboundary Aquifer Needs
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Santa Cruz
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Santa Cruz AMA goal is to maintain aquifer water
levels and safe-yield. Continuing collaboration and
data sharing is essential.
San Pedro
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Upper San Pedro Partnership - data on hydrology,
water demands, streamflow, climate conditions in
Mexico needed to help support its goal and federal
mandate to reach sustainable yield and protect the
San Pedro River.
Questions?
Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness