Arizona Relocation?

[Turbo29]

I still recall all those years ago asking the tour guide at the Hoover dam what might destroy it. He said "lack of water." The dam is built to balance itself against the head of water. If the water were to get too low, the dam would fall back into the empty lake (apparently.) No expert, so don't quote me. But, it sounds dire to be running out of water - for a lot of reasons. YMMV

I don't think that would happen but it's still dire. When the lake level reaches 895ft above sea level it's called "Dead pool;" no more water can flow past the dam into the river below. As the intakes for Los Angeles/San Diego, and Phoenix/Tucson are all below the dam (in Lake Havasu) that would be a very big problem.

 

[Montecfo]

WSJ today: "If shrinking water flows in the [Colorado] river don't reverse, cities in Arizona and other states could be next"...after cutbacks this year leave about half the farmland in Pinal County unplanted.

Article goes on to state that cities have been storing extra water for this eventuality.

Certainly cautionary.

Article behind paywall so did not link.

 

[folivier]

Being a south Louisiana flat lander we were concerned when we bought our cabin. At 68 and 65 years old and in good physical condition when we get to the cabin we limit any activities for the first couple days. Then start walking and gradually get up to our 1+ mile fast walk. At 9400' that's much different than at 25'. We spend the summer's there but if we leave for a week or so we have to recondition all over again. Our fire department says the most emergency calls are for weekenders who even though living at 5000 or so feet come up and play hard. Then they're feeling really bad, we give them O2 and tell them to get off the mountain. In most cases that's all that's needed. I did buy a few cans of Boost O2 and will try that out for visitors and when I get out of breath working on something. We plan to keep the cabin until we can't live here anymore or just carry around O2 like a few of our neighbors.

 

[yhoomajor]

Even if Colorado water completely shuts off to Arizona, Arizona will manage water supply ok. AZ gets only 1/3rd of its water supply from Colorado river. 2/3rd is internal. Also, that 1/3rd will be compensated if Arizona stops farming Cotton, AlphaAlpha and lettuce. Not a big deal breaker for Arizona.

I've been hearing doomsday water scenario about AZ, even before I moved here in 2005. And I will keep hearing that long after we are gone.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

And I will keep hearing that long after we are gone.

"Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t go to yours." (Misattributed to Yogi Berra.)

 

[Willers]

We researched Arizona as a relocation option last year. We live in a Colorado ski town and it was getting so expensive that we considered cashing out and moving. Our experience:

Scottsdale/Cave Creek - we actually liked the feel of Cave Creek, with it's horse ranches and open spaces. I wasn't a fan of Scottsdale. Too many Ferraris for my taste.

Sedona - had high hopes because we love mountain biking and hiking. Spent enough time there to see that is it beautiful, but waaaay to touristy for us. We thought our ski town was bad until we went there.

Flagstaff - can't put a finger on exactly why, but it just wasn't the vibe we were looking for. It is a college town if that is a plus for you. It's also at 7K feet which may or may not be a plus. That was fine for us.

Prescott - this is where we decided we'd live if we moved to AZ. The weather is our Colorado town +10-15 degrees with a generally mountain-like climate. Great mountain biking, surprising restaurant quality and variety. Very local vibe to it. We actually had an accepted offer on a house downtown, but it failed the inspection so we were back to square 1. One warning: the median population age is definitely older. That was the one thing DW didn't love because we are still in our 50's.

In the end we got back home and the perfect house came on the market so we paid the stupid money necessary to get it and we are dug in for the next decade. I think we would have been very happy in Prescott, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Good luck with your search!

 

[Koolau]

We researched Arizona as a relocation option last year. We live in a Colorado ski town and it was getting so expensive that we considered cashing out and moving. Our experience:

Scottsdale/Cave Creek - we actually liked the feel of Cave Creek, with it's horse ranches and open spaces. I wasn't a fan of Scottsdale. Too many Ferraris for my taste.

Sedona - had high hopes because we love mountain biking and hiking. Spent enough time there to see that is it beautiful, but waaaay to touristy for us. We thought our ski town was bad until we went there.

Flagstaff - can't put a finger on exactly why, but it just wasn't the vibe we were looking for. It is a college town if that is a plus for you. It's also at 7K feet which may or may not be a plus. That was fine for us.

Prescott - this is where we decided we'd live if we moved to AZ. The weather is our Colorado town +10-15 degrees with a generally mountain-like climate. Great mountain biking, surprising restaurant quality and variety. Very local vibe to it. We actually had an accepted offer on a house downtown, but it failed the inspection so we were back to square 1. One warning: the median population age is definitely older. That was the one thing DW didn't love because we are still in our 50's.

In the end we got back home and the perfect house came on the market so we paid the stupid money necessary to get it and we are dug in for the next decade. I think we would have been very happy in Prescott, but it just wasn't meant to be.

Good luck with your search!

Interesting. A good friend left Paradise for Prescott after his wife passed. He loves it and has recently remarried. I now have an excuse to visit Prescott. I'm hopeful that I'll get to see my friend in his (now) native habitat.