FURI | Spring 2020

Investigation of the Practicality of Evaporation Prevention for the Central Arizona Project

The Central Arizona Project (CAP) is a 336-mile system that moves water from the Colorado River near Lake Havasu, AZ to the south of Tucson, AZ. Over 80% of Arizona’s population depends on water delivered by the CAP. The total water loss due to evaporation and seepage sums up to about 24.4 trillion gallons each year. This research aims to do an investigation of an analysis of alternatives for evaporation prevention methods to conserve Arizona’s water supply directly relating to the CAP. This research would help to evaluate alternative infrastructure projects by providing critical data used in cost-benefit analyses and environmental impact assessments.