ARIZONA DAILY STAR:  Mon., April 30, 2007

Storing CAP water now ensures future supply

Guest Opinion: Carol W. West

             Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup and the City Council have directed Tucson Water to significantly increase the purchase of Central Arizona Project water from the current 70,000 acre-feet (or 23 billion gallons) to 144,172 acre-feet (or 47 billion gallons).

            As we take all of our CAP water, we will invest nearly $150 million in infrastructure for the recharge and recovery of the water, and for storage and distribution of the recovered water.

            Decades of groundwater overpumping has caused environmental damage, such as the loss of riparian areas and land subsidence. Our ability to pump is also limited by state laws that require us to move away from groundwater as a primary water supply. We must use renewable supplies of water like CAP.  The drought affecting the Colorado River brings the potential for a shortage on the river to be declared by the Secretary of the Interior. Experts believe that will occur within the next five to seven years if the drought conditions continue.

            If Tucson is not using its entire CAP allocation, there is a chance that we could lose access to the unused portion. It is urgent that we store as much of our CAP water as we can for the future.

FULL OPINION:   http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/180446