PHOENIX — For the first time since 2019, Salt River Project (SRP) is releasing water down the Salt River due to the excessive precipitation Arizona has received this winter.
With much of the west still dealing with long-term drought, people are wondering if the water running down the Salt River can be stored or if it essentially goes down the drain.
The answer is a bit of both.
SRP tells ABC15 that the water soaks in the river channel and recharges the underground aquifers for groundwater.
The rest flows downstream, eventually evaporating.
The current reservoir system doesn't have the capacity to store excess water, but there are discussions to change that in the future.
Bo Svoma, a meteorologist with SRP, says a feasibility study is being done to figure out how to increase storage capacity.
"It's most feasible to raise Bartlett Dam downstream," Svoma explained.
The project would be a massive and expensive undertaking, however.
If and when that happens, which may not be for several years, expect runoff and water loss to continue during wet seasons like this year's.
