On February 21, 2019, the Central Arizona Water Conservation District (“CAWCD”) Board of Directors approved a letter agreement with Salt River Project (“SRP”) for a multi-year exchange that would be implemented under the Arizona Lower Basin Drought Contingency Plan Implementation Plan.
Under the agreement, SRP will deliver to customers that SRP and CAWCD have in common up to 10,000 AF/year from 2021 through 2025, for a total volume of up to 50,000 AF/year. During the 5-year period, CAWCD will put a like volume in Lake Mead as Extraordinary Conservation Intentionally Created Surplus (“EC ICS”).
CAWCD must repay the water to SRP beginning January 1, 2027. CAWCD intends to use the EC ICS for repayment but can also use other CAP project water or other water sources that the parties may agree to.
In 2002, CAWCD and SRP executed a Master Water Exchange Agreement that allows for authorized representatives from each entity to arrange for specific exchanges. CAWCD staff brought this exchange before the board because of its relationship to the Lower Basin DCP. (For information on the Lower Basin DCP see “Deadlines Matter: Upper and Lower Basin DCPs Completed” in this issue).
Written by Marta L. Weismann