KJZZ is a service of Rio Salado College,
and Maricopa Community Colleges

Copyright © 2025 KJZZ/Rio Salado College/MCCCD
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

SRP reservoirs remain mostly full as Arizona drought conditions worsen

U.S. Drought Monitor

Arizona’s drought conditions are becoming worse after an extremely dry summer, fall and winter. But Salt River Project reports its reservoirs remain at sustainable levels.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, about 64% of Arizona is now experiencing severe or extreme drought conditions. Three months ago, just 27% of the state’s drought was considered severe and no part of the state was in an extreme drought.

SRP’s seven reservoirs along the Salt and Verde Rivers supply about half of the Valley’s water. And SRP senior hydrologist Stephen Flora said right now is usually the season when those reservoirs would be gaining water, but not this year.

“We're near record lows for precipitation across the watershed so far this winter. We're projecting near-record low runoff,” Flora said. “Even if we start to see a little more precipitation we may not see a lot of runoff because of how dry conditions are.”

Even so, Flora said the reservoirs are in good shape.

“As of now, we're about 71% full,” Flora said. “That's largely due to some wet years we had the last two years, especially two years ago, which helped refill the reservoirs. Those types of years help us get through years like we might be looking at this year, which look to be very dry.”

The National Weather Service projects there is a 40%-50% probability that drier-than-normal conditions will persist across most of Arizona at least through April.

Katherine Davis-Young is a senior field correspondent reporting on a variety of issues, including public health and climate change.