Colorado River water delivered by Central Arizona Project is critical to our state, and teachers who attended (virtually) Arizona Project WET’s STEM Academy, “Explore the Colorado River,” learned that firsthand. As part of CAP’s ongoing commitment to water education, two of its water professionals presented to the group, teaching them about the system and water supply so they can share it with their students.
Colorado River Programs Manager Chuck Cullom addressed the group of 25 teachers, speaking about efforts that are being made to sustain the Colorado River water supply for central and southern Arizona. He gave a brief overview of the Colorado River and CAP and then moved onto water supply challenges, recent actions such as the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) and next steps.
Operations, Power and Engineering Director Darrin Francom showcased the engineering marvels of a system that has reliably delivered water for more than 35 years. He explained the challenges of getting water underneath a river bed (siphons), how water is controlled in the canal (radial gates) and the criticality of the 14 pumping plants that lift water more than 2,900 vertical feet across the 336-mile long system which stretches from Lake Havasu to south of Tucson.
So, whether in person, online or through educational materials, CAP continues demonstrating its commitment to water education.