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<br />.-1)"1....81 <br />UUl.~ <br /> <br />2002] <br /> <br />THE lAST GREEN lAGOON <br /> <br />937 <br /> <br />power has already begun to shift. As we shall argue, this shift <br />ultimately has significant implications for the future of the Delta. <br /> <br />ill <br />RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ON THE LOWER COLORADO <br /> <br />A. The Arizona Water Bank <br /> <br />In 1996, Arizona passed legislation creating the Arizona <br />Water Bank ("the Bank"), an innovative first-of-its-kind223 water <br />marketing plan designed to address projected shortages.224TI1e <br />Bank moves Colorado River water through the Central Arizona <br />Project (CAP) to central Arizona, and then uses it either for <br />"direct recharge" or "in lieu recharge," generating "future <br />recovery rights" that can be withdrawn at a later time.225 Direct <br />recharge involves recharging CAP water into aquifers, <br />temporarily storing water underground until it is needed.226 In <br />lieu recharge occurs when a current groundwater user switches <br />to using CAP water instead of pumping groundwater.227 The <br />groundwater "saved" by this exchange can then later be <br />withdrawn by the Bank - in essence, simply postponing the <br />unsustainable use of groundwater supplies.228 In addition, the <br />Bank allows California and Nevada to access up to 100,000 af <br />annually of Arizona's Colorado River allotment.229 The general <br />concept is that in water surplus years, California and Nevada <br />users can pay to store water in the Bank that would otherwise go <br />unused, and in shortage years, they can draw on their banked <br />supplies. <br />Arizona's fear that California might eventually obtain rights <br />to the unused portion of Arizona's 2.8 maf Colorado River <br />allocation prompted. creation of the Bank, which enables Arizona <br />to utilize (via storage) its full share of Colorado River water.230 <br />The creation of the Water Bank was a brilliant strategic move on <br />Arizona's part, because it prevents California from continuing to <br />rely on Arizona's unused water while simultaneously improving <br />the reliability of central Arizona's water supply. As a result, the <br /> <br />223. See LaBianca, supra note 135, at 659-660. <br />224. See PONTIUS, supra note 3 at 37-38. <br />225. See id. at 37-39. <br />226. Id See alSo LaBianca, supra note 135. <br />227. SeePONTlUS, supra note 3, at 37-38. <br />228. Id. at 38. <br />229. Id; see also LaBianca, supra note 135, at 678-679. <br />230. See LaBianca, supra note 135, at 659-660. <br />