PHOENIX — Farmers from central Arizona on Tuesday told lawmakers to approve a complex web of agreements that would let the state sign onto a plan to conserve Colorado River water and help the farmers adapt to a smaller water supply.
The seven-state agreement to conserve Colorado River water took an important step forward as a key legislative panel began discussions in Arizona, the last of seven states that must sign onto the deal by Thursday or risk the federal government imposing strict cutbacks.
With prolonged drought steadily reducing the amount of water flowing into the two massive reservoirs on the Colorado River, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation director Brenda Burman has said she's facing pressure from other states to limit Arizona's water deliveries without a complete drought plan.
The Arizona legislation is the product of months of negotiations between major water users in the state. Cities, tribes and others with senior water rights agreed to give water to farmers in Pinal County, between Phoenix and Tucson, who have the lowest-priority access to Colorado River water and stand to lose the most. In exchange, the cities and tribes will get money and future access to groundwater.
The farmers told lawmakers they need the legislation to stay in business.
"Yes, we are in a drought," said Dan Thelander, a farmer and board member for his irrigation district. "But we want you to know that we are feeling the pain."
Even with the drought plan, farmers will have to fallow as much as 40 percent of the region's farmland, he said.
Sandy Bahr, Arizona director for the Sierra Club, said the drought deal will encourage harmful groundwater pumping in Pinal County and miss an opportunity to put Arizona on a path to a more sustainable water supply.
"We won't even be discussing whether it makes sense to continue growing ... cotton, alfalfa and other thirsty crops in Arizona," Bahr told lawmakers.
The farmers say their crops are integral to the region's economy and the state's food supply, noting crops grown in Pinal feed cattle and dairy cows.
The agreement would give Pinal County farmers $9 million to drill wells, dig ditches and build other infrastructure needed for them to change from river water to groundwater. It also would give Tucson more groundwater credits for treated wastewater, allowing the city to pump more in the future in exchange for providing water to Pinal farmers.
Under existing guidelines, Arizona would be first and hardest hit if Lake Mead, on the state's border with Nevada, falls below 1,075 feet (328 meters). That's because Arizona has the lowest priority rights to the river. If the drought plan is approved, cuts would be spread more widely and eventually loop in California. Mexico also has agreed to cutbacks.
The multi-state drought contingency plan requires Arizona to find a way to reduce its use of Colorado River water by up to 700,000 acre-feet — more than twice Nevada's yearly allocation under the drought plan. An acre-foot is enough for one to two households a year.