. >> the central arizona project was constructed in the 1970s and '80s. the massive system brings the water to the population centers of phoenix and tucson. >> it cost over $4 billion to build. there was a 300-mile- long excavation, several tunnels bored through mountains, siphons going under rivers. it's an engineering marvel. and you can see it from outer space. >> on average, more than 5 trillion gallons flow through the canal every year. >> what we're looking at behind me here is a map board of the system itself. it's 336 miles long, controlled by two dispatchers that are sitting behind us here. >> we have 15 pumping stations along our 300-plus-mile canal. we have to basically pump the water uphill and then let it flow by gravity over some period of miles. >> so all these values that you're looking at are in cfs, cubic feet per second. so as you can see here, this pumping plant's doing 2,086. starts at lake havasu, goes all the way down through some mountains, underneath some riverbeds, and then it eventually ends up in tucson. >> from 1985 to 2010, c

those that worked in the central arizona project. worked on the ground water code and republicans and for development to happen so we're in better shape here. the key is to make sure that kind of planning continues and that's why it's been great to work with senator mccain and sit down with the governor and his water advisors and say what are the priorities for arizona. we did this a couple of years ago to make sure our efforts were best spent on arizona's real priorities and we were told that one thing we really needed to do was make sure that voluntary arrangements to leave water behind the dam by water users would be honored by the federal government to make sure that water didn't disappear down some canal in california a you. later on. we got an agreement from the department of interior to make sure those voluntary water arrangements would be cast in stone or honored because that was done in appropriations bill. we'll have to do the same thing this year and we believe we can do it, but we have got to make sure that the colorado r

those who worked with the central arizona project, republicans and democrats together in the 1980's, a 100 years supply of water, so we are in better shape here in arizona. the key is to make sure that kind of planning continues. it has been great to work with senator mccain and other members of the delegation, to sit down with the governor, and say, what are the priorities for arizona. we did this a couple years ago to make sure our efforts were best spent on arizona's real priorities. we were told that one thing we needed to do was make sure that voluntary arrangements to leave water behind the dam at lake mead would be honored by the federal government, to make sure that water didn't disappear down some canal in california. they have a bigger delegation than we have. so we always are concerned about that. we got an agreement from the department of interior to make sure those water arrangements would be cast in stone, or honored, because that was done in an appropriation bill. we have to do the same thing this year. we've got to make sure that, one, the colorado river, that we have

the biggest single water user in arizona is the central arizona project to pump water. if that can be done in times were intermittent power is cheaper, it certainly help out. >> we talked a lot about the colorado river and making sure with regard to storage and water banking in wheeling, one thing we really haven't talked about is surface water in arizona and how that is utilized. talk about for a minute, the importance of arizona's watershed, our northern forest, for example, and how we can better utilize or make sure that we are taking full advantage of every drop of rain that falls in arizona. not necessarily in the upper basin and flowing to the colorado river. how important is it for arizona's water future and what we need to do? >> senator flake, supplies are critical. out of our water budget, about 17% comes from the gila and salt river. on the salt river itself, the main reservoir has flood control capacity dedicated to it. if we could use that flood control capacity to store water in the summertime when it's very unlikely we are going to get any major runoff ev

those who worked on the central arizona project. stand truly worked on the ground water code. 1980's, a 100 year supply of water for development to happen. we are in better shape in arizona. the key is to make sure that planning continues. that is why it is great to work with senator mccain and members of the delegation to sit down with the governor and his water advisories to say "what are the priorities for arizona?" we did this to make sure my efforts and senator mccain's for best spent on arizona's real priorities. we were told one thing we needed to do is to make sure voluntary arrangements to leave water behind the dam at lake mead i arizona water users would be honored by the federal government. to make sure that water did not disappear down some canal in california later on. they have a bigger delegation then we have. we are concerned about that. we got an agreement from the department of the interior to make sure those voluntary water arrangements would be cast in stone and honor. we will have to do the same thing this year.

the biggest single water user in arizona is the central arizona project pump water, in fact can be done in times intermittent power is cheaper and helps out. we talked a lot about the colorado river, making sure with regard to storage, water banking and wheeling, one thing we really haven't talked about is surface water in arizona and how that is utilized. talk about for a minute the importance of arizona's own watershed, our northern forest for example and how we can better utilize and take full advantage of every drop of rain that falls in arizona, not necessarily in the upper basin and flowing through the colorado river. how important is that to arizona's water future and what do we need to do? >> senator flake, our in state supplies are critical. out of our 7 million acre water budget, 17% comes from the salt and hill of rivers. on the salt river itself, roosevelt dam is the main reservoir there. it has flood control capacity dedicated to it. if we could use that flood control capacity to store water in the summer-time, it's very unlikely we will get major runoff events and we can i

you know, the biggest single water user in arizona is the central arizona project to pump water. and if that can be done at times when intermittent power is cheaper, then it certainly helps out. >> right. mr. buschatzke, we talked a lot about the colorado river and making sure that through, you know, with regard to storage and water banking and wheeling, one thing we really haven't talked about is surface water in arizona and how that is utilized. talk about for a minute the importance of arizona's own watershed, our northern forest, for example, and how we can better utilize or make sure that we're taking full advantage of every drop of rain that falls in arizona not necessarily in the upper basin and flowing through the colorado river. how important is that to arizona's water future, and what do we need to do? >> so, senator flake, our in-state supplies are critical. out of our seven million acre water budget, about 17% of that comes from the salt, veridian and hila live. the salt river itself, roosevelt dam is the main reservoir there. it has flick and shoal capacity dedicated