Tucson offsets first CAP drought cut with banked-water transfer
Tucson Water, Arizona · Meeting date: September 22, 2026 · Published: September 24, 2026
Tucson Water will order about 71,000 acre-feet of imported CAP water for 2027, after a projected 14% cut to the city's Priority 4 Colorado River entitlement. A roughly 20,000 acre-foot transfer from the Arizona Water Banking Authority is expected to lift the city's total portfolio for the year into the 90,000-95,000 acre-foot range.
Key points
- Mayor and Council unanimously directed staff to proceed with Tucson Water's draft 2027 CAP order.
- The city's 144,191 acre-foot Priority 4 CAP supply is expected to be cut by about 14%, or roughly 20,000 acre-feet, under Colorado River drought conditions.
- Tucson's 2027 order includes 50,000 acre-feet left in Lake Mead for compensated system conservation and a 2,800 acre-foot Pure Water Tucson obligation.
- Tucson Water will maintain its Tier 2 drought response while federal authorities complete the longer-term operating plan for Lake Mead.
Full report
Tucson Mayor and Council has approved Tucson Water's draft 2027 Central Arizona Project order, accepting the first drought-driven reduction to the city's Priority 4 Colorado River entitlement while relying on banked supplies to maintain its water portfolio.
Tucson Water said its 144,191 acre-foot Priority 4 allocation will be reduced by approximately 14% in 2027, equivalent to around 20,000 acre-feet. The reduction follows the Bureau of Reclamation's decision last month to adopt two-year operating guidelines while it continues work on a longer-term, 10-year Colorado River plan.
The city's physical imported-water delivery under the draft order will be about 71,000 acre-feet. That order includes a 50,000 acre-foot reduction for water left in Lake Mead under compensated system conservation, described by Tucson Water as a cash-contribution bucket used for water-resource capital projects and future resource acquisitions. It also includes a 2,800 acre-foot obligation associated with the city's Pure Water Tucson partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation.
However, the Arizona Water Banking Authority is expected to transfer approximately 20,000 acre-feet of previously stored water to Tucson's portfolio. Tucson Water said this legal transfer would bring the city's total water position for 2027 to roughly 90,000-95,000 acre-feet.
The draft order also reflects water Tucson will store for Phoenix, Peoria, Scottsdale, Oro Valley, Vail, Marana and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. Tucson Water said that component totals another 17,900 acre-feet to be delivered to the Tucson water bank next year.
The utility will continue operating its drought preparedness and response plan at Tier 2 pending greater certainty on the final Lake Mead operating plan. Tucson Water cited conservation measures including the removal of more than 165,000 square feet of turf at city parks, nine acres removed at commercial and multifamily properties, smart-meter deployment and water-efficiency retrofits in affordable and low-income housing.
Tucson Water said the city has more than 600,000 acre-feet of Colorado River water stored in its aquifer, with potentially up to another 400,000 acre-feet of water-bank supplies targeted to Tucson over time. The Mayor also requested informational town halls to discuss the city's water resources with residents.
This summary was generated by AI based on the source document and may contain errors.
Source: Mayor & Council - Study Session, Tucson Water