The Arizona Water Banking Authority coordinates with ADWR and CAWCD, working cooperatively to ensure recovery implementation is achievable when needed.
The Arizona Water Banking Authority (AWBA; Water Bank) was established in 1996 to store the unused portion of Arizona’s annual Colorado River entitlement in Central and Southern Arizona. The AWBA stores water in underground aquifers to earn long-term storage credits. These credits can be recovered (pumped) during a shortage to provide back-up water supplies (known as "firming") for Arizona water users.
Through 2019, the Water Bank has accrued 4.28 million acre-feet (MAF) of long-term storage credits (LTSCs): 3.67 MAF for Arizona uses and 0.61 MAF on behalf of the State of Nevada. The AWBA firms water supplies for Central Arizona Project (CAP) Municipal and Industrial (M&I) subcontract holders and communities along the Colorado River. As the agent for the State, the AWBA is responsible for meeting the State's Indian firming obligations under the Arizona Water Settlements Act (AWSA). The Water Bank also assists with meeting the State's water management objectives under the Groundwater Code and provides the mechanism for interstate water banking with the other Lower Basin States. By storing water, the Water Bank helps to ensure long-term water supplies for Arizona and neighboring states.
Announcements
2020 Plan of Operation
The 2020 AWBA Plan of Operation was adopted on December 4th, 2019. The 2020 Plan of Operation describes the AWBA's planned activities for the upcoming calendar year. With no excess CAP water available in 2020, the AWBA will continue to make progress on its firming goals through LTSC purchases and pre-firming arrangements with the Gila River Indian Community.
Topics
Interactive Map
This interactive GIS map allows you to view AWBA credits at each storage facility and download the full data into excel.
Water Bank Timeline
The Water Bank was created in 1996 to store the unused portion of Arizona's Colorado River entitlement.
