Federal engineers have finished critical repairs at one of the largest dams on the Colorado River. The patched-up tubes allow water to pass downstream from Lake Powell.
The tubes are rarely used, but they’re pivotal to the Colorado River system. Lake Powell is getting lower after more than 20 years of megadrought and steady demand.
The tubes were originally designed as a backup. But if Powell gets much lower, they’d be the only way to pass water from the nation’s second largest reservoir to cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix.
Federal officials used nearly $9 million in Biden-era infrastructure spending to recoat the inside of the pipes. The repairs finished two months ahead of schedule.
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Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky said they’re taking a major step toward securing their long-term water outlook by directing their city manager and city attorney to potentially create a large water use ordinance for the city.
