PHOENIX (AP) 鈥 It's necessary to regulate groundwater in the state鈥檚 rural southeast, allowing the designation of a controlled area to stop rapid depletion of the water through agricultural use, the Arizona Department of Water Resources announced Friday.
The department鈥檚 Director Tom Buschatzke said data analysis of hydrologic conditions in the state鈥檚 Willcox basin shows that the conditions have been met 鈥渢o take necessary steps to defend our groundwater supplies for future generations.鈥
Under state law, Buschatzke is empowered as director to what is known as an 鈥渁ctive management area鈥 for the Willcox Groundwater Basin in Arizona鈥檚 Cochise and Graham counties.
鈥淎s my staff has made clear in public hearings held in Willcox and in response to comments on our presentations from members of the public, the hydrologic conditions in the basin meet the statutory requirements,鈥 he said in a statement.
The director made the designation on Thursday, following public hearings on the matter, according to a statement by the water agency. During that period, the basin was closed to new agriculture use while the department decided whether to create the management area southeast of Tucson that would allow it to set goals for the well-being of the basin and its aquifers.
Gov. Katie Hobbs and the state water resources agency had been under pressure by local residents to deal with the
Hobbs on Friday praised the designation.
鈥淚鈥檝e heard from families, farmers, and businesses who have experienced the devastating impacts of unchecked pumping by unaccountable, big corporations,鈥 said said. 鈥淭heir wells are running dry, their homes are damaged by fissures in the earth, and their farms are barely able to get by.鈥
High rates of pumping can dry up wells and cause the ground to collapse, damaging roads and other property. According to a water resources department report, 26 wells in the basin that are regularly measured fell 10 feet (3 meters) to nearly 142 feet (43 meters) between the years 2000 and 2020.
Arizona farm interests have historically opposed groundwater pumping regulations, saying such a structure is too inflexible.
The Willcox Groundwater Basin management area is the first formed by executive action since approval of Arizona鈥檚 Groundwater Management Act in 1980. Several other such areas in Arizona were created by similar laws. The urban areas of Phoenix and Tucson have long been under groundwater management.
___
This story has been updated to correct that the designation of the management area was made on Dec. 19, not Dec. 1.
