 Standing left to right: Tucson Water Director John Kmiec, Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis, BOR Deputy Commissioner Michael Brain
Sitting left to right: Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, CAP General Manager Patrick Dent, BOR Deputy Regional Director Dave Arend
Tucson Signs Historic Conservation Agreement to Help Save Lake Mead
On May 24, 2023, Mayor Regina Romero signed a groundbreaking conservation agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) and the Central Arizona Project (CAP), making Tucson one of the first cities in Arizona to leave a significant allocation of Colorado River water in Lake Mead.
Under this new agreement, Tucson will voluntarily conserve up to 110,000 acre-feet (AF) of Colorado River water through 2025. Our contribution is helping to protect a critical water resource, impacted by climate change and 23 years of drought. Here’s context about the new agreement:
Tucson’s proven record allows the city to voluntarily conserve up to 110,000 AF of water over three years: We have more than 20 years of strategic resource planning and $2 billion invested in infrastructure. Through Tucson Water’s successful long-term conservation program, our community has saved over 5 billion gallons of water to date. And Tucson voluntarily gave back more than 25,000 AF in 2022. We’ve been storing water resources in our aquifer for decades, so it’s ready for Tucson today or in the future.
How does this agreement help Tucson and others? Tucson’s agreement is an important step to sustaining the Colorado River system that serves 40 million people, 30 tribes, and 7 basin states. We’re also helping to prevent reservoirs from falling to critically low levels, avoiding hydropower failure.
Does this agreement offer Tucson any compensation? Yes, we will receive federal funds through the “Investing in America” program. Specifically, $400 per AF for every unit we conserve for the 2023-2025 agreement – or up to a potential $44 million.
How will Tucson use our federal funds? The Mayor and Council want Tucson Water to invest in infrastructure to reduce water loss, address water quality, and encourage conservation.
Are others stepping up to keep water in Lake Mead? Yes! Agreements are coming together, driven by urgency, collaboration, and consensus. Metro Water District also signed an agreement with the BOR to leave 40% of their allocation in the Colorado River. The Gila River Indian Community was the first tribe in the state to sign a new conservation agreement. The cities of Phoenix, Glendale, Peoria, Scottsdale, plus ASARCO, and the Town of Gilbert signed new agreements. In May, Arizona, California, and Nevada agreed to voluntarily conserve 3 million AF over three years.
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