Part 4/12:
- Underground Aquifers: These storage basins contain fossil groundwater, often millions of years old. Heavy pumping in the 20th century led to significant depletion, prompting laws and infrastructure to regulate usage.
The Central Arizona Project (CAP), completed in 1993, is a key piece of infrastructure diverting Colorado River water towards Phoenix, balancing regional demands but subject to periodic cuts during droughts. In 2017, Arizona’s total water demand was estimated at 7 million acre-feet—around 2.28 trillion gallons—underscoring the massive scale of water management needed.