Water crisis!
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8/4/2006
I was born and raised here, and would like to offer the following corrections. Some of the stats on this site are wrong.
It lists "Tucson" and "Tucson Heights" both. There's no such thing as "Tucson Heights" (unless it's a private manufactured neighborhood; I haven't heard of it). Also, it lists 13+ inches of rain/year. That's WAY wrong. We got that 20+ years ago. We now get 9 inches/year. This year we're down more than that.
Also, one thing "snowbirds" (non-natives) don't understand is that the water we have is quickly running out. According to the University of Arizona's Geophyics & Hydroogy Dept, we will be OUT of water by 2015. The population is growing way too fast, and the water we do have now is inadequate. Based on data from the U of A Treering Lab, S. Az has been enjoying an unusually wet period over the last 80 years. What we're experiencing now in this so-called 20 year drought (6-9 inches per year) is much closer to the norm in a 400-500 year period. For more info, see the documentary Cadillac Desert.
Similarly, one thing this website doesn't make clear is that Az is consistently one of the WORST states in the nation for education. We are 48th (some say 46th - oh woohoo we've improved!), followed by Mississippi and Louisiana!! YIKES!!
Caitlyn | Catalina Foothills, AZ