TUCSON CITIZEN:  Mon., Jan. 29, 2007

Arizona, Nevada reach water deal

The Arizona Republic

 

The two states would share load in drought:   Nevada and Arizona have agreed to share the pain of a serious drought on the Colorado River with a deal involving water and cash.  Under the terms, Nevada would join Arizona in giving up water if drought triggered a shortage on the river.

            Nevada would also pay Arizona $8 million to help secure other water sources.  Without the deal, Arizona would lose about half of its allocation before any other state gave up a drop. 

            Under existing laws and compacts, Arizona would give up nearly half of its total river allocation before any other state took a hit.  Arizona agreed to those terms to win approval of the Central Arizona Project.  With the new agreement, Nevada would absorb some of the shortage.

            The deal includes three triggers, all linked to the elevation of Lake Mead, where the lower states store water.  At the first trigger, when the lake reaches 1,075 feet above sea level, Nevada would give up 13,000 acre-feet and Arizona would lose 320,000 acre-feet.

            When the lake dropped to 1,050 feet, Nevada's losses would increase to 17,000 acre-feet and Arizona's would grow to 400,000 acre-feet.  At 1,025 feet, Nevada's loss would total 20,000 acre-feet and Arizona's would hit 480,000 acre-feet.  Arizona's annual allocation is 2.8 million acre-feet.

FULL STORY:   http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/40106.php