TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Mount Lemmon is expected to remain under Stage 3 water restrictions for at least another month as the community's water supply continues to struggle to recover.
Mount Lemmon first entered Stage 3 water restrictions at the beginning of the month after water levels dropped too low.
READ MORE | Mount Lemmon water district enters stage 3 restrictions as supplies drop below half capacity
Diana Osborne, Mount Lemmon Lodge owner and board member with the Mount Lemmon Water Improvement District, says the district's water tanks were only producing a fraction of their normal output when the restrictions went into effect.
"Our springs should be flowing anywhere between 18 and 24 gallons a minute to fill our tanks. Our tanks - when we went into stage 3 - were below half, and our springs were flowing at 3.5 gallons per minute, which is very little water," Osborne said.
Even though monsoon storms have rolled through southern Arizona, Mount Lemmon's water supply still hasn't recovered enough to lift Stage 3 water restrictions. For the rain to make a difference, Osborne says it has to fall near the summit, where it can recharge the aquifer—a natural reservoir that feeds the springs.
"If we end up with no rain for another couple weeks, it doesn't really help get that aquifer to fill. So, the most important thing is getting that aquifer to fill with water, which takes a long time because it's been drained," Osborne said.
Osborne tells me it will take several weeks of steady rainfall before restrictions can be eased.
"So up here, we only collect water from rain and snow, there's no other water source," Osborne said.
She also tells me the district is expanding capacity, and a new 800,000 gallon tank will get installed soon.
"That will help bridge us as well during these dry seasons, so that we don't have to go into Stage 4. We're trying to protect ourselves because we do see a trend toward drought in this area, and we just want to be prepared," Osborne said.
Thankfully, Osborne says Mount Lemmon has never entered State 4 water restrictions.
"We always conserve 500,000 gallons of water for firefighting. If we go to Stage 4, that means the tanks are empty, we're not getting rain, and we would probably be in fire danger," said Osborne.
The Mount Lemmon community and visitors are asked to continue conserving water until restrictions are lifted.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
——
Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
