The Arizona Department of Water Resources designated an Active Management Area in the Willcox groundwater basin on Friday, following a series of public hearings in which the agency presented evidence of aquifer depletion and increasing ground subsidence.The aquifer is the only source of water for homes, farms, industries, and municipal providers.Residents in the basin voted against such a designation two years ago. The agency used a second legal pathway to establish the AMA because it determined critical conditions in the basin meet all requirements. It was the first time since 1980 that the state used such powers.”I think it shows that the agency has maybe learned that if you don’t take action it just gets worse. And I think it just became so apparent to everyone,” said Kathy Ferris, former state Department of Water Resources director who helped write the 1980 Groundwater Management Act.Political pushback to create groundwater regulations in rural communities has been strong, particularly from key legislators like Rep. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford. But local leaders and domestic water users’ demand for rural groundwater protection has also grown louder across the state, calling for action against unrestricted groundwater pumping.”Even though it is late, I applaud the department and the administration for doing this,” Ferris said.The AMA, which is in both Graham and Cochise counties, will effectively block any agricultural expansion. Under the designation, no new lands can be farmed in the basin. Additionally, growers must prove “substantial capital investment” in lands that had not been irrigated in the past five years if they want to irrigate them in the future. About 6,500 acres of farmland would need to go through this test.”While there is a range of views on the AMA, the urgency of addressing our water challenges cannot be overstated,” Willcox Mayor Greg Hancock said in a statement, praising Gov. Katie Hobbs’ action. “We are committed to ensuring that our community’s voice is heard throughout this process.”Groundwater rules:Shrinking aquifers worry Cochise County residents, but support is weak for regulationsLingering concerns about agricultural rulesHobbs’ office said in a statement that the AMA will “protect over 8,100 people and the local economies that rely on the Willcox Basin.”Many residents who opposed the AMA see the action as a state “overreach.” Others argue that there is an urgent need to stop agricultural expansion, but the regulatory tool, as it is, would give unfair water allotments to growers using the least water, hurt numerous family operations, and leave the largest water users virtually unaffected.Growers in the Douglas AMA, which was designated by popular vote in 2022, have raised concerns over fixed water allotments tied to the growers’ crop history. The management plan was approved on Nov. 27 with minimal changes to the proposed version.Hearing concerns from local growers, Ethan Orr, associate director of the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, said he expects Arizona Department of Water Resources to consider changes to how water allotments and irrigated grandfathered rights are determined, making sure they are “not punishing growers who have invested in grea …
See the full article on Arizona’s economic indicators, or, read more Arizona real estate investing news. Take your pick!
