Arizonans Support Collaboration, Investments in Water 

We’re at a important juncture in Arizona’s water historical past. Important water agreements are reaching expiration and longstanding water points can now not be ignored. On the identical time, hotter temperatures and variable precipitation are straining water provides in our already arid state. 

Arizonans know that water is a valuable, life-giving useful resource—to cities, Tribes, companies, farms, wildlife, habitats, and out of doors recreation. A recent poll (performed by Morning Seek the advice of on behalf of the Walton Household Basis) signifies that Arizonans overwhelmingly help devoted funding for water resilience and conservation tasks and are involved about Colorado River and groundwater provides being obtainable into the long run.  

Audubon works to guard rivers, streams, groundwater, and their related habitats—for individuals and birds. This implies advocating for investments in water resilience and improving water management to spice up our water outlook.  

The Colorado River makes up roughly 36 p.c of Arizona’s water provide. And whereas the expiration of the foundations at the moment governing the river’s administration rapidly approaches, negotiations among the many seven states that obtain Colorado River water (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming) grind on. Audubon believes creativity and collaboration are wanted to share a smaller river.  

Arizonans agree.  

Based on the ballot, 86 p.c of Arizonans agree that actual options to Colorado River water shortages are attainable by way of collaborative agreements between states quite than lawsuits. 91 p.c are involved concerning the Colorado River’s potential to proceed offering water provides to Arizona.      

The Decrease Basin states, (Arizona, California, and Nevada), have beforehand provided to cut back their water Colorado River use by 1.5 million acre-feet. This discount would require extra water conservation and elevated water effectivity by all water customers in Arizona.  

83 p.c help boosting municipal water conservation and water reuse by way of ways like recycling and reuse of purified wastewater and changing lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping. And Arizona is getting ready: the Water Conservation Grant Fund has already granted $214 million to achieve water savings of as much as six million acre ft within the agricultural, industrial, and municipal sectors, all throughout the state. 

A lot of the water provides of the Phoenix metropolitan space originate within the forested White Mountains of northeastern Arizona, in addition to the Mogollon Rim in north-central Arizona, encompassing the Salt and Verde River Watersheds. Eighty-four p.c of Arizonans consider we should always use forest management and restoration strategies to guard the watersheds that help our in-state rivers and streams. Eighty-one p.c consider we should always restore wetlands, meadows, and riverside habitats to enhance the well being of rivers and streams. Seventy-nine p.c consider we should always restore degraded rivers and streams by slowing river flows, reestablishing native crops, replenishing groundwater, and restoring pure water provides.  

A majority of Arizonans are anxious about groundwater, with 89 p.c involved concerning the state’s present groundwater scenario (the place in an enormous swath of Arizona, there aren’t any limitations to how a lot groundwater might be pumped). Eighty-one p.c of survey respondents stated Arizona ought to defend at-risk groundwater basins by both authorizing new groundwater administration instruments for native communities with state help or by designating new Lively Administration Areas. Audubon Southwest continues to help options that advance groundwater protections in additional elements of the state. We’re additionally supportive of efforts that use information to boost the power of native communities to make knowledgeable choices to assist handle their groundwater provides.  

As we step into a brand new period of water administration and circumstances, we want continued investments and collaboration from choice makers to maintain our flowing rivers, stop wells from drying up, preserve habitat for wildlife, and guarantee dependable water provides throughout the state for all. Arizonans perceive the significance of securing our water future.  

Click here for the full poll results.