Arizona to enjoy abundant amount of water this year

By Kathy Helms
Diné Bureau

FORT DEFIANCE — If you're thinking there's been more moisture during the past year than in the year previous, you're absolutely correct. Arizona's key watersheds have received nearly two-and-a-half times more precipitation than last year and reservoirs are filling up for summer.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recently released the March 1 issue of the Arizona Basin Outlook Report. The March 1 measurement is used as a means of determining maximum snowpack levels and is considered the most accurate predictor of future water runoff.

NRCS is responsible for monitoring snow levels in Arizona's mountain watersheds each winter to estimate the amount of water available for spring and summer uses. Governmental agencies, and public and private entities use this information to project spring and summer water supplies.

Those supplies are divided into agricultural, municipal and industrial use, and also must take in the needs of recreation and endangered species.

According to the March 1 report, the statewide snowpack measured 152 percent of the 30-year average, as compared to 73 percent a year ago.

"We have not seen snow levels like this since the winter of 1998," said David McKay, state conservationist. "All watersheds are reporting above-average snowpack levels at this time. This means more runoff later in the season, especially for those rivers and streams that feed the reservoirs supplying water to central Arizona."

At the San Francisco Peaks where Coconino National Forest has approved the use of reclaimed wastewater to make artificial snow for increased recreational activities snowpack was more than twice the 30-year average, measuring at 236 percent of average.

Other areas covered in the report include the Chuska Mountains, where water content of the snowpack measured 139 percent of average; Grand Canyon, 136 percent; Mogollon Rim, 132 percent; San Francisco-Upper Gila River Basin, 160 percent; Little Colorado River Basin, 126 percent; Verde River Basin, 152 percent; and Salt River Basin, 129 percent.

The report also included findings on various reservoir systems in Arizona.

The Salt River reservoir system was at 85 percent of capacity, with 1,724,819 acre-feet in storage, or 871,000 acre-feet more than a year ago. An acre foot is enough water to cover one acre, a foot deep.

The Verde River reservoir system is 99 percent of capacity with 284,502 acre-feet in storage, or 169,000 acre-feet more than a year ago.

The combined Salt River Project (SRP) reservoir system is 87 percent of capacity with 2,009,321 acre feet in storage 1,040,000 acre-feet more than a year ago. The last time SRP had 2 million acre feet in storage was May 7, 1987.

San Carlos reservoir storage measured 44 percent of capacity with 381,521 acre feet in storage, or 354,341 acre feet more than a year ago. The last time San Carlos had 381,000 acre-feet in storage was May 20, 1996.