Water: It is an ongoing and sometimes emotional topic. While others discuss and debate various water issues, in our industry it is central to everything we do.
It is understandable that with some of the current rhetoric, people and businesses begin to doubt Arizona’s capacity for the future.
I think the rhetoric is only partly correct and that most people who discuss water in Arizona only look at one small element. Yes, we live in a desert. But history tells us the rivers have dry seasons, people repeatedly think the worst, and wet weather, technology and better water management provide us with a future.
While legislation, negotiation and court cases may take time to solidify Arizona water law, the question remains… What can buyers and sellers of real estate do today to confirm for themselves water sources and water rights so they can properly disclose important water issues to buyers and buyers can perform appropriate due diligence?
The WeSERV Water Issues Task Force is busily working on a tool designed to help buyers perform appropriate due diligence, spur buyer questions and research, and prompt sellers to find answers prior to a buyer’s questions about the water availability, source and rights.
Arizona has had water agreements and compacts between various Arizona constituencies and amongst non-Arizona constituencies. I found a Salt River Users Association document from 1903, and mention in an 1896 newspaper of water agreements.
We know about the water compacts amongst the Colorado River states and Mexico from 1922, the 1950’s and most recently, 2019.
Now that we are in our second year of water cutbacks from the river, many people are noticing California has senior rights, Arizona has never taken its full complement of water, and California is doggedly refusing to do anything that may mean it stores more water during rainy seasons.
In the 16 days between Dec. 26th and Jan 11th, the University of Davis estimated 24.5 trillion gallons of rain fell on the state with most of that going into the ocean. California water officials estimate only 20% of the rains will be captured.
For Arizona we have had a lot of rain and snow as well. USDA shows from March 1st to March 6th the Little Colorado was at 1,333% of median rain fall and that does not count the record snowfall.
In West Valley, the Salt sub-basin (south Avondale, Glendale, Phoenix, AJ, White Mtns) is at 640% of median rain fall for the same period. The Verde subbasin (Flagstaff/Prescott) is up 2,236%.
The Salt River dams are showing over 200% of median storage, and the Gila River system is running about the same.
Which brings us to the sources of water in Arizona. Basically, there are 4 sources:
36% Colorado River (CAP)
5% Reclaimed
18% In State Rivers (SRP)
41% Groundwater
The areas of water demand in Arizona are:
5% Industrial
21% Municipal
70% Agriculture – Although I am finding numbers from the state of 68% agricultural use. I’m not sure how that number is determined, but I do know precision farming reduces water use on farms by as much as 80%.
And we have an increasing number of farms, ranches and dairies using precision farming techniques. Combine that with Pinal farmers who have absorbed almost all the river cuts, which means less farm land under cultivation, and I have to ask for more current methods and numbers, but whatever it is, it is most likely considerably less than 70% water use by agriculture.
It is pretty apparent reuse of effluent water is in the offing and thankfully water technology has graduated to a more sophisticated level.
The WeSERV Water Worksheet is designed to help buyers find out pertinent water information for the parcel of land they are interested in buying, find reputable sources of that information and open the door for buyers to research and understand better Arizona’s water systems and water rights. We are striving to develop a one-page document tool, similar in concept to a buyer’s net sheet or closing statement.
Listen to hear the highlights of the WeSERV Water Task Force Water Worksheet.
WeSERV GAD: Advocating for private property rights, the right to private contract and YOUR Business!
Resources mentioned in podcast:
ADWR (Az Department of Water Resources)
Az Water Association
USDA Snow and Water Interactive Map
Upper San Pedro River Partnership – The Whip Interactive Map
SRP
CAP