The Arizona Water Banking Authority was created in 1996 to store the unused portion of Arizona’s annual allocation of the Colorado River. By storing this unused water the AWBA secures a dependable water supply necessary to ensure the state’s long-term prosperity. The plan is intended to govern the operations of the AWBA over the course of the entire calendar year.

The Arizona Water Banking Authority was created in 1996 to store the unused portion of Arizona’s annual allocation of Colorado River water. Until the AWBA was created, Arizona had not fully utilized its 2.8 million acre-foot allocation of Colorado River water and the state’s leaders recognized that leaving a portion of Arizona’s allocation in the river was a lost opportunity. The AWBA was created to provide assurances that water users within the state had secure, long-term water supplies.

The primary purpose of the Inventory is to identify storage capacity available to the Arizona Water Banking Authority to meet its water storage goals. Inclusion of a facility in the Inventory does not equate to a commitment by the AWBA to utilize any specific facility in the future. The AWBA will continue to determine annually which facilities will be used through the development of the Annual Plan of Operation. Conversely, not including a facility in the Inventory does not preclude the AWBA from utilizing that facility in a future Annual Plan. It does, however, preclude the facility from being utilized for interstate water storage, until such time as it is included in an updated Inventory.

Water banking is one of Arizona's most important water management strategies, and its success depends on effective planning. This joint plan helps advance the objective, articulated in the intergovernmental agreement among CAP, ADWR and AWBA, to develop a coordinated and cooperative planning process that includes distribution and recovery of water stored by the AWBA.

The purpose of the Inventory is to determine whether storage facilities exist in this state to meet the water storage needs of the authority for the following ten years. The Authority approved the initial Inventory in 1997. Because additional storage facilities are continually being constructed, the Authority updates the Inventory at least once every five years. The Authority has been annually updating all new facilities that could be utilized by the Authority in its Annual Report. It is important to note that the primary purpose of the Inventory is to identify the capacity that is available for potential storage by the Authority to meet its objectives. The inclusion of a facility in the Inventory does not equate to a commitment by the Authority that the facility will be utilized for water banking purposes in the future. The Authority will continue to determine annually which facilities will be used through the development of an Annual Plan of Operation. Conversely, a facility that is not included in the Inventory may be utilized in a future Annual Plan of Operation.

Eye on the Future 2020, the Maricopa County Comprehensive Plan, provides a guide for decisions concerning growth and development, and considers strategies for addressing growth-related impacts. Among the strategies is the creation of scenic corridors for unique roads in Maricopa County. The Carefree Highway area is one of these roads, and thus the Carefree Highway Scenic Corridor Guidelines are established to help enhance this area’s special characteristics.

It is likely that urban growth eventually will occur along Castle Hot Springs Road, which will present residents and stakeholders with important changes to their lifestyles. Mitigating the potential impacts of urban growth will continue to be a high priority for Maricopa County. Because these guidelines reflect the recommendations of residents and other stakeholders, they provide a unique opportunity for these residents and stakeholders to participate in the future growth and development of their area.

It is likely that urban growth eventually will occur along State Route 74, which will present residents and stakeholders with important changes to their lifestyles. Mitigating the potential impacts of urban growth will continue to be a high priority for Maricopa County. Because these guidelines reflect the recommendations of residents and other stakeholders, they provide a unique opportunity for these residents and stakeholders to participate in the future growth and development of their area.

It is likely that urban growth will occur along Olive Avenue, which will present residents and stakeholders with important changes. Mitigating the potential impacts of these changes will continue to be a high priority for Maricopa County. Because these guidelines reflect the recommendations of residents and other stakeholders, they provide a unique opportunity for these residents and stakeholders to participate in the future growth and development of their area.

It is likely that urban growth is occurring and will occur along the McMicken Dam Scenic Corridor, which will present residents and stakeholders with important changes. Mitigating the potential impacts of these changes will continue to be a high priority for Maricopa County. Because these guidelines reflect the recommendations of residents and other stakeholders, they provide a unique opportunity for these residents and stakeholders to participate in the future growth and development of their area.