WaterTop story
SRP's reservoirs jumped from 53% to 70% full in under a week after record runoff
SRP's reservoirs are 70% full, up from 53% on Nov. 1
70%SRP reservoir system full on Nov. 6
Source: AZ Family
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| SRP reservoir system full on Nov. 6 | 70% |
| Nov. 1 | 53% |
If you've wondered where all that rain went, a lot of it is now in SRP's reservoirs. The utility says its system rose from 53% full on Nov. 1 to 70% by Nov. 6, after the highest October and November inflows on record in the Salt and Verde watersheds. The storms added roughly 120 billion gallons, enough to fill about 182,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
SRP hydrologist Stephen Flora said the reservoirs took in as much water in a few days as they get in a normal winter. A Tempe news release says SRP called it the biggest flood on the Salt and Verde rivers since 1993, and Tempe Town Lake is closed to all boating and now fishing.
- Verde River peak inflow: about 94,000 cubic feet per second
- Tempe Town Lake: closed to all boating and fishing
- Collegiate triathlon championship: now a duathlon
- Salt River bed roads: some may stay closed; check ADOT's website
The runoff was one for the record books
- 120 billion
- gallons gained by SRP's reservoir system
- 182,000
- Olympic-sized pools' worth of water
- 8 times
- greater than average, the recent inflows
- 1993
- the last flood this big on the Salt and Verde
Sources: ABC15 Arizona, FOX 10 Phoenix
