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.
More water news
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The community of Globe is still fighting for help after FEMA denied its request for disaster aid last month to help rebuild from major flooding in September. -
The state has created a new active management area — the eighth in Arizona. That means there will now be rules on groundwater pumping in this basin, located in La Paz County in western Arizona. -
Multiple water line breaks continue to plague parts of the South Rim at Grand Canyon National Park. -
Arizona is considering pumping water from a desalination plant on the Gulf of California to boost its water supply, but would need buy-in from Mexico. -
Thursday marks the kickoff of the third annual International Atmospheric Water Harvesting Summit, hosted at Arizona State University.
