- Arizona has proposed reducing groundwater overdraft in the Willcox Basin by at least 50% by 2075.
- The proposed management plan includes water conservation, monitoring and reporting requirements.
- Farmers, businesses and residents can comment at a public hearing on November 16, 2026.
- Written public comments will be accepted through November 18, 2026.
- The Willcox Basin has been regulated as an Active Management Area since January 2025.
Thursday, November 12, 2026 — Arizona water officials are proposing a long-term plan to reduce groundwater overdraft in the Willcox Basin, with new conservation requirements for agricultural, municipal and industrial water users.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources has proposed reducing groundwater overdraft by at least 50% by 2075. Groundwater overdraft occurs when more water is pumped from underground than is naturally replaced.
The proposal is part of the first management plan for the Willcox Active Management Area,
which covers the Willcox Groundwater Basin in Cochise and Graham counties.
The department announced the proposed goal and management plan in an October 14, 2026, public hearing notice.
According to the notice, the proposed goal is:
“To support the long-term viability of the regional economy, mitigate land subsidence, and extend the life of the aquifer by reducing groundwater overdraft by at least 50% by 2075.”
Land subsidence occurs when the ground sinks or settles. An aquifer is an underground layer of rock or soil that holds groundwater.
The proposed goal addresses groundwater supplies, land subsidence and the region’s economy over the coming decades.
What the Proposed Groundwater Plan Would Require.
The proposed first management plan contains mandatory conservation requirements for people and organizations that pump, distribute or receive groundwater within the Willcox Active Management Area.
It also includes requirements to monitor groundwater use and report water withdrawals.
The plan addresses three major categories of water users:
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Agricultural users: Farms and other agricultural operations that use groundwater.
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Municipal users: Cities, towns, and water providers that supply groundwater.
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Industrial users: Businesses and industrial operations that use groundwater.
The proposed requirements are intended to reduce groundwater withdrawals within the management area.
The plan also covers groundwater supplies and demand, water management strategies, groundwater recharge and recovery, and how the department would monitor and enforce its requirements.
Groundwater recharge refers to water entering underground aquifers. Recovery refers to withdrawing previously stored water.
Groundwater Restrictions Already in Place.
The proposed management plan follows the state’s earlier decision to establish the Willcox Active Management Area.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources began proceedings to designate the basin on October 23, 2024.
Following a public hearing, the department issued its designation order on December 19, 2024. The official designation date was January 8, 2025.
That designation brought new restrictions on groundwater use.
One of the most significant restrictions is a permanent limit on bringing additional agricultural land into irrigation.
Generally, land within the management area can be irrigated only if it was legally irrigated at some point during the five years preceding October 23, 2024. State law provides certain exceptions.
The designation also established requirements for groundwater rights, measuring water withdrawals and reporting groundwater use.
People seeking grandfathered groundwater rights, which are based on past groundwater use, were required to apply by April 8, 2026.
Most wells with pumps capable of withdrawing more than 35 gallons per minute must measure and report their groundwater withdrawals, with limited exceptions.
Smaller wells used for household and other qualifying non-irrigation purposes are generally exempt from those reporting requirements.
Public Hearing Scheduled for November 16.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources will hold a public hearing on Monday, November 16, 2026, to receive comments on the proposed management goal and first management plan.
Anyone may attend and provide oral or written comments, either personally or through a representative.
The department cautions that the hearing will not be delayed or postponed if technical problems interrupt the online connection.
Written Comments Due November 18.
Residents and other interested parties who cannot attend the hearing may submit written comments.
Comments sent by regular mail must be received no later than November 18, 2026. Comments submitted by email, fax or hand delivery must be received by midnight on November 18.
Written comments should be directed to:
Docket Supervisor
Arizona Department of Water Resources
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite 310
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Email: docketsupervisor@azwater.gov
Fax: 602-771-8686
Copies of the proposed management plan are available through the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The department can also provide copies upon request at managementplans@azwater.gov or 602-771-8585.
The November 16 hearing will give the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed groundwater management goal and the conservation, monitoring and reporting requirements that would guide water use in the Willcox Basin.
Top Image: Wine Grape Vineyard in Willcox
, by PAC55, who writes, “Willcox is a major wine grape production area. The many wineries are a big part of the Willcox economy.” Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.
