In the urgent race to find a long-term solution for water, SRP has a bold proposal to add height to an existing dam along the Verde River with new estimates on how many people it could impact.
While the Valley has had some of the hottest days of the year so far, there was historic snowfall over the winter.
SRP measures Arizona saw the heaviest snowpack for the Verde watershed since the mid-70s.
Then as northern Arizona thawed out over the spring with reservoirs replenished, there was so much water it was released into the traditionally dry Salt River bed.
It was enough to serve 1.2 million homes, according to SRP.
"To see all that water run down the river is really a missed opportunity, it’s really an opportunity to improve the water resiliency of the state,” said Ron Klawitter, manager of the water system project with SRP.
The big proposal from SRP looks to make the Bartlett dam about 100 feet taller to store more water from the Verde River. Right now, SRP is in the first year of a federal study to see if it can physically be built and safely operate. For this to happen, there would need to be congressional approval.
SRP says the change to the dam could bring water to an estimated 1 million homes.
“We fully expect it to be a feasible project. What happens if this project isn’t built is we’ll regularly be releasing water downstream that can’t go to use,” said Klawitter.
Part of the study includes the participation of nearly two dozen Valley cities and water agencies.
”This agricultural community is what provides a lot of food resources. It’s important to protect this,” said Noel Carter, general manager of Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District.
The price tag to raise Bartlett Dam is $1.1 billion as of now.
That cost would be shared among cities, as well as people who use the water.
The rest would come from the federal government. While the study goes on, the project could last for 15 years.
”In Arizona, we have enough water to use but not enough to waste,” said Klawitter.
