February 9, 2023 – Arizona is facing huge cuts in water deliveries from the Colorado River this year and as a consequence, may need to rely more on groundwater supplies.
The Herald/Review reports that “Terry Goddard, Central Arizona Water Conservation District Board of Directors president, told the state Legislature it was time to start looking at the worst case scenario when it comes to the state’s water supply.  The worst case scenario in question — Arizona losing its water supply from the Colorado River completely.”
This ultimately means that groundwater users will start facing more regulation. On January 9, 2023, Governor Katie Hobbs issued an Executive Order to establish the Governor’s Water Policy Council
Groundwater protection deserves local input, as pointed out by The Herald/Review
Local Groundwater Stewardship.
That sentiment is echoed in a letter to state legislators supporting SB 1306 and HB 2731, Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas
Stewardship Areas will provide rural communities with much-needed new funding and an opt-in, locally-adaptable approach to groundwater management that puts local communities in the driver’s seat of our water future. We believe this approach provides balance, provides value for rural economic sectors including agriculture, and will help ensure stability for our communities, farms, businesses, and way of life.
Our communities have seen first-hand what happens when our groundwater supplies dwindle, our wells run dry and our drinking water and local food supply is put at risk. We can no longer be forced to choose between unlimited pumping of groundwater, often our only water supply, and rigid Active Management Areas that were originally intended for urban, central Arizona.
Stewardship Areas give us a new alternative, one that empowers local communities with choice, while ensuring transparency and accountability on the local level and through the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Through this innovative approach, we can tailor groundwater protection to best fit our local needs and goals, supported by technical experts.
Supporters of the Local Groundwater Stewardship Areas legislation include officials from Mohave, Yavapai, Coconino and La Paz Counties, officials representing the cities and towns of Tusayan, Flagstaff, Kingman, Prescott, and Pine/Strawberry, and representatives of organizations including Willcox Basin, San Simon Basin, Rural Arizona Action, Mohave County Water Authority, Grand Canyon Trust, Northern Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, Water for Arizona Coalition, Audubon Society, Freshwater Policy Consulting, and AZ Council of Trout Unlimited. The broad coalition includes northern, southern and western Arizona.
Water for Arizona
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