Running out of water in Arizona? (Phoenix, Tucson: 2009, how much, homes)

[BillyBaroo]

Yes, and no. There's a very good story in the Arizona Republic today.

Farms looked at as water resources vanish

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What flows through this watery Grand Central Station could fill the needs of all the homes and offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas and much of Southern California.

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In Arizona, the crops yield about 1 percent of the state's annual economic output, yet the fields soak up 70 percent of the water supply. That outsize allotment has painted a target on the farms as urban water managers search for the next bucket of water to meet future demands.

[Ritchie_az]

There's a huge underground aquifer under southern Arizona. Nobody knows just how much water is there, but it's a lot.

Agriculterally speaking, (as the AZ Republic points out--well, sort of) much of the water used in farming is from the Central Arizona Project Canal, which is Colorado River water. Unless the Rockie's fail to get snow, this is a consistant source of water that does not effect the drinking water supply.

I think Arizona (southern AZ, especially) is a great example of how to manage water responsibly. Most voluntarily (and happily) use xeriscape. Golf courses use reclaimed water. Lots of man-made lakes (or reserves) to diversify the water supply.

I've never seen imposed water restrictions in southern Arizona, but my family near Dallas has them almost every year. In fact, it got so bad (in the summer of 2008) that my dad had to collect lake water with buckets to keep his plants and trees from dying (he lives near a lake).

[Boompa]

Originally Posted by BillyBaroo

Yes, and no. There's a very good story in the Arizona Republic today.

Farms looked at as water resources vanish

.................

What flows through this watery Grand Central Station could fill the needs of all the homes and offices in Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas and much of Southern California.

...................

In Arizona, the crops yield about 1 percent of the state's annual economic output, yet the fields soak up 70 percent of the water supply. That outsize allotment has painted a target on the farms as urban water managers search for the next bucket of water to meet future demands.

I'll believe it when they close the Golf Courses

[Greatday]

Originally Posted by Boompa

I'll believe it when they close the Golf Courses

Golf courses are not watered with potable water. They are watered with grey water

[franktank232]

I've always thought we could trade you Arizonians some of our clear, cold water for some of you hot skinny women? We'd even throw in a few plus sized ladies to make it fair ?

I still don't get why this country doesn't have water pipes running from areas of TOO much water to areas that have none. They could meter it somehow? I see areas of Missouri have had over 20 inches of rain just this month! So much good freshwater is dumped into the gulf of Mexico every second...

[AksarbeN]

Water, electricity, and shade are all that’s needed to keep the state hospital for humans. People who waste water shouldn’t live in the desert; however there seems to be a good number of them are trying to keep their yards green with processed city drinking water. Washing the car in the driveway with the garden hose and tap-water instead of going to the carwash.

If Arizona has a brown out or black out in the summer months most of the entire state will suffer from lack of A/C cooling.

Our desert is fragile and we must be better at living in harmony with nature or we’ll be in real trouble.