Lake Mead’s uncertain future has Arizona eyeing water imports

Lake Mead’s uncertain future has Arizona eyeing water imports

Arizona is taking steps to secure its water future as the ongoing Colorado River megadrought continues to deplete its reservoirs, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell.

This week, the state’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) unveiled plans to import billions of gallons of water from outside its borders, a move prompted by Lake Mead’s precarious levels and unresolved disputes among the seven states that rely on the Colorado River were required.

At a conference on Tuesday, WIFA officials outlined a step-by-step process that will ask companies to propose viable solutions for bringing external sources of water supply to the state.

“Tuesday’s pre-offer conference was intended to help potential applicants better understand our tender,” said Chelsea McGuire, deputy director of external affairs at WIFA Newsweek.

“It was an opportunity to promote dialogue between WIFA and interested parties to help them better prepare their proposals.”

With Lake Mead currently at 33 percent capacity (1,061 feet above sea level) and Lake Powell also depleted, the reality of a diminished Colorado River system has forced Arizona to consider alternative water sources.

Hoover Dam on the Colorado River
The Hoover Dam on Lake Mead in 2019. The “bathtub rung” on the lakeshore shows how much the water level has fallen in recent years.

Gregory Bracco/Getty

There is a lot at stake. WIFA has earmarked approximately $430 million for long-term water treatment projects, with 75 percent legally earmarked for out-of-state sources.

In November, WIFA began soliciting proposals to import over 100 billion gallons of water per year.

“WIFA’s expansion mission is a prime example of how Arizona is consistently and effectively working toward a safe, resilient and sustainable water future,” WIFA Board Chairman Jonathan Lines said in a statement at the time.

“Arizona has long taken water seriously. Likewise, WIFA takes seriously its mission to find new water resources so our state can continue to grow and prosper.”

Verification of the qualifications of interested companies is expected to begin by next month, with the aim of completing this first phase by June 2024.

The entire process, which includes project selection, design and implementation, could take between five and 15 years, McGuire told Axios Phoenix.

The agency is looking for creative and sustainable ideas after a previous plan to desalinate seawater in the Gulf of California was scrapped due to $5.5 billion in costs and environmental concerns.

“Water importation is necessary to enable Arizona to continue to grow and prosper in all sectors and in all parts of the state as Arizonans desire,” McGuire said.

“Our water outlook today – whether we can meet our existing needs – is good thanks to this culture of forward planning. But there are several studies from organizations like the Department of Water Resources and the Bureau of Reclamation that point to a significant increase in demand over a 100-year period.”

WIFA’s mission was not without setbacks. Earlier this year, its budget was cut by nearly $500 million, prompting the agency to issue a dire warning about the impact of the cuts.

“These cuts couldn’t come at a worse time,” WIFA said in the statement. “The current trend of diverting funds from our long-term water investments to solve short-term problems calls into question WIFA’s prospects for success, no matter how strong our process is.”

Despite this, McGuire said WIFA is “confident” that the current balance in the fund is sufficient for the import project.

As Colorado River water allocation negotiations remain deadlocked, Arizona isn’t alone in seeking alternative water sources.

According to recent reports from Fox 13 Salt Lake City, Utah officials have floated the idea of ​​building a desalination plant in California to capture a larger share of the river’s water.

Nevada is also investing in water reuse projects in California that could benefit the state upstream of the Colorado River.

California itself has implemented water-saving measures that may have helped raise Lake Mead’s levels by as much as 16 feet.

Do you have a tip for a science story? Newsweek should cover? Have a question about Lake Mead? Let us know at [email protected].

Update 12/16/24, 4:24 a.m. ET: Article has been updated with comments from Chelsea McGuire.

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