National Climatic Data Center, 14 October 2004

• Monsoon: The 2004 monsoon was the 4th driest on record at Tucson, AZ, according to the National Weather Service. Tucson International Airport recorded 2.43" of rainfall, which is 3.63" below average. September was also below average by 0.83".
• Tropical Systems: The remnants of Hurricane Javier provided some much-needed rainfall to portions of Arizona on the 18th-19th. Rainfall amounts around the Tucson area ranged from 0.25-1.75". At the airport in Flagstaff, 1.11" of rain was recorded. The official recording station at Phoenix reported only 0.11" of rain.
• Colorado River: Arizona joined Nevada and California in signing the Lower Colorado River Multi-Species Conservation Program Memorandum of Agreement on September 14. The agreement includes plans for (1) wildlife and land conservation from Hoover Dam to the U.S.-Mexico border, (2) protecting drinking water and power supplies for the three states, (3) water transfers, and (4) potential drought and shortage river management operations (Business Wire, Sept. 14, 2004).
• Arizona drought plan: The Governor's Drought Task Force completed their public workshops portion of developing a drought preparedness plan for Arizona. The final version of the drought plan will be submitted to Governor Janet Napolitano in early October.
• Water restrictions: Due to the ongoing drought, the Salt River Project voted on September 13 to impose water restrictions to agricultural, municipal, and residential customers in 2005, the third consecutive year that limitations will be made.
• Lake Powell: The Salt River Project also has considered a $20 million plan to drill additional tunnels near Lake Powell to keep the Navajo Generating Plant in operation. As of September 10, the water level at the Glen Canyon Dam was 100 feet above the current tunnels.