What is CAWCD and its Board of Directors?
The Central Arizona Water Conservation District (CAWCD) is a multi-county water district which manages and operates the Central Arizona Project (CAP) canals and facilities. The CAP Project is 336 miles long and consists of a series of aqueducts, tunnels, pumping stations and pipelines which transports Central Arizona’s water from Lake Havasu on the Colorado River to Maricopa, Pinal and Pima Counties. CAP delivers the States single largest renewable water supply and is designed to bring 1.5 million acre-feet of water to Central Arizona every year. More than 80% of Arizona’s population depends on this important source of water. The CAP Project serves over 5 million people, 350,000 acres of irrigated agriculture and 11 Native American Tribes. In addition, it provides water for our industrial users and provides recharge and storage of our underground aquifers for future generations.
So, what are the responsibilities of the CAWCD Board of Directors?
It should be first noted that the terms CAWCD Board and the CAP Board are the same and essentially interchangeable. CAWCD is governed by a publicly elected 15-member Board of Directors. Each member is popularly elected from the CAP’s three-county service area and serves a staggered, unpaid six-year term. There are 4 Board members elected from Pima County, as well as 10 members from Maricopa County and one from Pinal County. This 2020 election year is when the four Board members will be elected from Pima County and one Board member from Pinal County.
The full Board and its subcommittees meet every two weeks to establish policies, set water rates, approve budgets, set tax rates, manage the CAP water supply, enter into agreements and contracts to carry out its mission. Additionally, the board responsible for repaying the Federal Government for CAP construction and addressing a variety of critical water issues affecting CAP, its water users and employees.
The CAP Board of Directors meet regularly in Phoenix
Tonopah Desert Recharge Basins is one of CAWCD’s seven water recharge projects
What is the CAGRD?
The CAWCD Board also manages the Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District (CAGRD). In 1993, the Arizona State legislature created the CAGRD, to be operated by the CAWCD Board throughout the three-county service area. The purpose of the CAGRD is to provide a mechanism for landowners and water providers to demonstrate an assured water supply under the Assured Water Supply Rules which became effective in 1995.
Groundwater recharge basins are an effective water management tool which allows renewable surface water supplies to be stored in underground aquifers and recovered when a future need arises.
The Central Arizona Project has constructed seven large recharge projects in Arizona to store Colorado River Water. These CAP recharge projects along with many other locally-owned recharge basins help manage our groundwater supplies and provide a reserve for potential shortages or prolonged drought.
This is just a brief overview of the responsibilities of the CAWCD Board
These examples illustrate why CAWCD is important and requires an elected position that deserves the attention of the people it serves. In order for Arizona to continue to grow and create economic opportunities, to maintain a safe and reliable water supply, and maintain our environment for the enjoyment of our families, we must elect the most experienced and dedicated people for this important position.
We are here for you, and for our future generations