Mayor Regina Romero says City of Tucson is
Ready to Respond to Tier 2a Shortage
Mayor asks Bureau of Reclamation to provide a clear path forward
Mayor Regina Romero announced today that the City of Tucson is ready to respond to the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation’s Tier 2a shortage for the Colorado River in 2023. The Mayor pointed out that the Bureau’s announcement does not include a basin-wide plan to reduce demand and it does not include any federal unilateral action to mandate the changes that would help protect the system.
The Bureau of Reclamation stated in June that additional cuts across all basin states and participation by all water users would be necessary to save the Colorado River system, and that it would take unilateral action if basin states could not agree on a plan.
"The City of Tucson has been preparing for water supply challenges for decades," said Tucson Mayor Regina Romero. "Our citizens have embraced a conservation ethic to support a sustainable and thriving community and protect our economy into the future," said Romero.
Tucson's long-term policies and investments in water storage, efficiency, and conservation have prepared the City to face any water challenges that come with a Tier 2a shortage or potential deeper shortages. The City of Tucson will do what is required, but there is more that must be done.
"We have a robust and resilient water supply and we will continue to engage in conservation efforts with other partners and stakeholders to preserve and protect the Colorado River," added Romero. "We ask the Bureau of Reclamation to work with the states and water users basin-wide to create a plan that ensures the sustainability of the river now and in the future," added the Mayor.
“Over the past several years, Tucson has demonstrated our commitment to sustainability and stability on the River, said Tucson Water Director John Kmiec, “and we have joined other Arizona cities, tribes, and stakeholders signaling our willingness to do more.”
Since 2017, the City of Tucson has contributed tens of thousands of acre feet of its Colorado River allocation, some without compensation, to protect water levels in Lake Mead and help Pinal County farmers who lost access to Colorado River supplies.
The City has offered to leave up to 60,000 acre-feet of its Colorado River water in Lake Mead in 2022 and 2023 combined, in support of a potential System Conservation Agreement.
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