CONSEQUENCES
Severe Consequences of Failure To Act
The Prescott Active Management Area faces a future water shortage. Unless community leaders act to reduce and eventually eliminate the overdraft of our aquifer, the consequences will be severe. See Growth Harms the Aquifer.
- Domestic wells on the edges of the aquifer face the most immediate problems. Family wells on the edges of the aquifer are already drying up, and many more will follow. When a domestic well goes dry, families are forced to haul water, their landscaping dries up, and their property values can be cut in half. See Family Wells Threatened and Has Your Well Gone Dry?
- Municipal water suppliers will be among the last groups to experience water shortages. However, California has enforced water rationing and increased the cost of water.
- As water levels in our aquifer continue to fall, water quality for all users will decline due to growing arsenic contamination.
- Already, overdraft levels are causing a reduction in the base flow of the upper Verde River. With continued overdrafts, the river will dry up resulting in destruction of wildlife habitat, fewer recreation opportunities, and the potential loss of over $300 million in river-related economic activity.
The time for action is now. If massive population growth is allowed to increase groundwater pumping and if the overdraft is not reduced, our children and grandchildren will live with the consequences of a long-term water shortage.
For a summary of the threats to our water supply see this article.
Join the Citizens Water Advocacy Group and help us meet the challenge!
Updated February 7,2021