Photos: Central Arizona Project canal construction in 1979
- Rick Wiley / Arizona Daily Star
Rick Wiley
Photo editor
- Updated
Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water. Construction began 1973 and was substantially complete by 1994.
Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
6/9/1979 Central Arizona Project construction. Photo by Joan Rennick / CitizenConstruction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
6/9/1979 Central Arizona Project construction. Photo by Joan Rennick / CitizenConstruction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
6/9/1979 Central Arizona Project construction. Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
6/9/1979 Central Arizona Project construction. Photo by Joan Rennick / CitizenConstruction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson Citizen
Construction of the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct in Western Arizona in June, 1979. The canal supplies the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas with Colorado River water.
Joan Rennick / Tucson CitizenRick Wiley
Photo editor
As featured on
Last year's heavy Colorado River runoff and some Arizona conservation efforts have improved next year's outlook for the Central Arizona Project, which supplies Tucson's drinking water.
The study's dire projections mean we shouldn't wait to make additional cuts to water use until negotiators finish new operating guidelines for the Colorado River in 2025, many experts say.
But some Tucson-area water providers say they can survive a major shortage without having to return to heavy pumping because they have bought more Central Arizona Project water than they use in a year.
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