The tunnels may be needed to pass water through the dam if Lake Powell elevations fall below 3,490 feet. That's the lowest elevation at which river water can pass through the dam's turbines that normally deliver electricity to cusomers around the West.
Tony Davis
About
Tony graduated from Northwestern University and started at the Star in 1997. He has mostly covered environmental stories since 2005, focusing on water supplies, climate change, the Rosemont Mine and the endangered jaguar.The keynote speaker, Prof. Kacey Ernst, will describe what she sees as health challenges faced by people in parts of the world that are becoming hotter, drier and more prone to hazards such as wildfires and dust storms.
Bill moving through the Legislature would require Arizona to approve many proposed subdivisions in Phoenix area and Pinal County despite concerns they won't have enough groundwater.
But Hudbay Minerals says its mine south of Tucson, with six open pits, will comply with all environmental laws and meet all industry standards.
For Star subscribers: If Lake Powell water levels fall below that needed to run the turbines at Glen Canyon Dam, downstream communities won't be able to rely on water releases from the dam's underwater conduits, according to a Bureau of Reclamation memo released Monday.
For Star subscribers: A fix will be costly and may not last. If the tubes can't be used when the Colorado River is at very low elevations, no river water can flow to Arizona, Nevada and California.
For Star subscribers: Cattle feed, including alfalfa and other forms of hay, accounted for 46% of all water directly diverted from the Colorado River, a new study says.
That could prove a knotty and controversial issue as Colorado River water declines, given the limited availability of alternative supplies such as groundwater. Nearly half of the CAP's total supply is or will be reserved for tribes.
For Star subscribers: The Gila River Indian Community controls the single biggest share of Central Arizona Project water held by any user — 311,000 acre feet. That's more than double Tucson's CAP allocation.