Reclamation Releases Lower Santa Cruz River Basin Study Final Report
The final report for the Lower Santa Cruz River (LSCR) Basin Study is now available from the US Bureau of Reclamation. This long-awaited report offers critical insights into regional water sustainability in the face of municipal growth, insufficient infrastructure for transporting renewable water, and extended drought. While the Tucson basin is projected to see an overall increase in groundwater storage through 2050, the study identifies areas where groundwater levels may decline if adaptive strategies are not implemented. The study applied a highly collaborative approach to fulfill two main goals. First, it sought to identify where physical water resources were needed to mitigate supply-demand imbalances due to changes in climate and other factors, and second, to develop strategies to improve water reliability for the municipal, industrial, agricultural, and environmental sectors. The increased knowledge generated by the study is intended to help implement a combination of strategies, which include linking municipal growth and physical access to renewable supplies.
The LSCR Basin Study was a collaborative effort led by the Bureau of Reclamation in partnership with the Southern Arizona Water Users’ Association, Arizona Department of Water Resources, Central Arizona Project, Cortaro-Marana Irrigation District, Pima Association of Governments, and the University of Arizona.