Balancing Growth and Sustainability: Water Conservation Efforts in Arizona’s Fastest Growing City

Noel Carter, general manager of the Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District (BWCDD), discusses the district's role in supporting agriculture through irrigation water, power, and flood irrigation services, as well as protecting farmland from alkali drainage. He shares the district's history and its evolution in developing guidelines as the area transitioned from a major agricultural hub. Noel also highlights a new bipartisan infrastructure deal that allocates over $11 million to BWCDD for canal modernization and energy projects, including concrete lining for the Main Canal and implementing solar and wind-powered systems. With Buckeye, Arizona rapidly expanding and set to develop over 100,000 new homes, he emphasizes the district's efforts to balance agricultural and residential water needs sustainably.

Podcast Recorded on October 10, 2024