Arivaca Community Water Supply Drought Vulnerability Assessment

Water supplies in aquifer systems that are recharged by current precipitation are vulnerable to drought because recharge rates decrease during dry conditions. Preliminary studies on the groundwater source for Arivaca, AZ, suggest that recharge comes from contemporary monsoon rains. This project investigated the relationship between climate variability and groundwater to assess the vul­nerability of this community’s principal water source to drought; it also investigated options for sustainable water management.