Water Restrictions in Tucson? (Phoenix: homes, landscaping, buying)

[Slytrix]

Does Tucson have current water use restrictions? Most homes seem to have drought tollerant landscaping with gravel and cactus so maybe there isn't much else you can do to conserve water.

Will there be building moratoriums if the drought continues to lower Lake Mead?

[Pink Jazz]

Considering many homes in Tucson have swamp coolers (in comparison to Phoenix), I'd be surprised if there are any significant water restrictions.

[Slytrix]

Originally Posted by Pink Jazz

Considering many homes in Tucson have swamp coolers (in comparison to Phoenix), I'd be surprised if there are any significant water restrictions.

Could you explain how having or not having swamp coolers is relevant?

[remco67]

Air conditioners generally do not use water so I'm not sure where Pink's response came from, in fact Swamp Coolers do use water so are actually worse for water use then an Air Conditioner. Power usage of course is something entirely different.

As for Tucson homes being "drought tolerant" this is correct mostly because people who live here generally recognize the value of water in the desert not to mentioned trying to maintain more then a desert type landscaping is extremely difficult as well as expensive given the amount of water you need to use to do so. As for current and future water restrictions I am not aware of anything out of the normal yet. The city of Tucson has a site about this if you are really curious and haven't seen it yet.

https://www.tucsonaz.gov/water/ordinances

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Slytrix

Does Tucson have current water use restrictions? Most homes seem to have drought tollerant landscaping with gravel and cactus so maybe there isn't much else you can do to conserve water.

Will there be building moratoriums if the drought continues to lower Lake Mead?

If you're a farmer irrigating over a certain number of acres. Yes.

No. Building=Bread and Butter. The State will be buying acres of irrigated farm land. Tucson is actually on track to achieve safe yield, i.e. an equilibrium between groundwater use, and groundwater recharge.

There was a time, in fact until about 20 years ago, that Tucson simply purchased land and pumped groundwater. If push comes to shove, it just goes back to that.

In short, without CAP diversions, Tucson will go back to using groundwater. Interesting now, Tucson uses less water with more population than it did in 1976.

Phoenix does the same. In fact, Phoenix doubled in population and cut water usage simultaneously.

[Slytrix]

Originally Posted by remco67

Air conditioners generally do not use water so I'm not sure where Pink's response came from, in fact Swamp Coolers do use water so are actually worse for water use then an Air Conditioner. Power usage of course is something entirely different.

As for Tucson homes being "drought tolerant" this is correct mostly because people who live here generally recognize the value of water in the desert not to mentioned trying to maintain more then a desert type landscaping is extremely difficult as well as expensive given the amount of water you need to use to do so. As for current and future water restrictions I am not aware of anything out of the normal yet. The city of Tucson has a site about this if you are really curious and haven't seen it yet.

https://www.tucsonaz.gov/water/ordinances

Thanks for that link. Good info.

[Slytrix]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

If you're a farmer irrigating over a certain number of acres. Yes.

No. Building=Bread and Butter. The State will be buying acres of irrigated farm land. Tucson is actually on track to achieve safe yield, i.e. an equilibrium between groundwater use, and groundwater recharge.

There was a time, in fact until about 20 years ago, that Tucson simply purchased land and pumped groundwater. If push comes to shove, it just goes back to that.

In short, without CAP diversions, Tucson will go back to using groundwater. Interesting now, Tucson uses less water with more population than it did in 1976.

Phoenix does the same. In fact, Phoenix doubled in population and cut water usage simultaneously.

Thank you JGM exactly the info I was looking for.

[Bummer]

Interesting question, Slytrix . . .

Having any type of landscaping other than drought tolerant here in Tucson would be and/or is sheer stupidity. Gravel and Cactus belong here . . . Lush Lawns do not.

If you declare war on Mother Nature . . . who do you believe will win?

[toadstool]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

If you're a farmer irrigating over a certain number of acres. Yes.

No. Building=Bread and Butter. The State will be buying acres of irrigated farm land. Tucson is actually on track to achieve safe yield, i.e. an equilibrium between groundwater use, and groundwater recharge.

There was a time, in fact until about 20 years ago, that Tucson simply purchased land and pumped groundwater. If push comes to shove, it just goes back to that.

In short, without CAP diversions, Tucson will go back to using groundwater. Interesting now, Tucson uses less water with more population than it did in 1976.

Phoenix does the same. In fact, Phoenix doubled in population and cut water usage simultaneously.

oy there is so much wrong with some of these statements, and a couple things right.

With an Irrigation Groundwater Right there are no new limitations because of drought or the 4th management plan. If it is CAP water that one is irrigating with then it takes a Stage I Curtailment to cause a loss of Ag Water to a farmer or District (beside the sunset situation with the ag pool). That is elevation 1075 in lake mead. for 2017 there is no restriction forecast. future years will be dependent on snow cap and conservation and partnering with other states that take water from the co. river. Currently with an IGFR you can use the volume of water granted by the right annually if it can be provided by district or personal well.

Water providers have to prove a 100-year assured water supply for any new subdivision. That is all coordinated through ADWR and as far as I know they have not limited anything in the state at this time. so in a limited resource world - yes building would be restricted until the developer could provide the water resources required to the water provider as part of the development package, otherwise no new buildings.

The state will not be buying irrigated farm lands, they may offer incentives to fallow lands, but not so far as far as i know today except in the yuma area and that is for the recent high ground plantings that should have never been planted in the first place.

Tucson has been at safe yield for approximately 5 years.

Tucson was buying the land to get the water rights and it was legal to pump the ground water when they finally owned it, they had a water portfolio shortage and this was a way to solve that. Tucson and other local water providers have plans in place in the event of shortages. It takes a level 2 shortage to actually stop the recharge of water by M&I providers. CAP water will always be a part of a balanced delivery system and safe yield in tucson, be it regular use, recharge or water swap with other entities.

The use of water per household has dropped over the years and is currently the lowest its ever been. low flow toilets and conservancy have worked. but the population has dropped since 2007-2008 as well, thus making safe yield easier.

lots of info on ADWR's website and CAP's website regarding shortage.