(Photo courtesy of SRP)

Snowmelt run-off in the Verde and Salt River watersheds eventually makes it into the SRP water storage system.

 The Salt River Project has closed the books on the 2016 runoff season and the results are underwhelming.

The promise of a big El Niño to break Arizona’s ongoing drought did not pan out. SRP forecasted the spring and winter runoff would bring upwards of 1 million acre feet, but the final tally shows only about a third of that made it into the system.

Overall, SRP’s reservoirs are 50 percent full, about the same as last year.

Still, water managers say even after more than 20 years of drought in Central Arizona, they’re in good shape to meet the water demands of customers.

To supplement the reservoirs, SRP is also continuing to pump groundwater. Research shows 20 to 30 years drought periods – punctuated by a very wet year – are common in central Arizona.