Conservation & Irrigation Notices

In accordance with A.R.S. § 45-189.01, a person who is entitled to the use of appropriable water may file a Water Conservation Plan Notice with the Director of the Department. Water conserved pursuant to a Water Conservation Plan Notice that has been properly filed with the Director will not be legally forfeited or abandoned. A person may not accrue long-term storage credits for any water that is conserved in a Water Conservation Plan Notice. 

A Water Conservation Plan Notice shall designate a duration of up to ten years. The person filing the Water Conservation Plan Notice may file a subsequent notice for some or all of the water rights and claims before expiration of the designated time for one or more periods of up to ten years each. 

Effective September 29, 2021, A Water Conservation Plan Notice can be filed by completing and submitting the form provided by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

A copy of the Water Conservation Plan Notice will be posted on the Department’s website for the duration of the notice. A Water Conservation Plan Notice is not subject to protest. If you have questions regarding the notices listed below, please contact the Surface Water Permitting Unit. 

In accordance with A.R.S. § 45-172.01, a person who is entitled to the use of water for the purpose of irrigation may file a Notice of Substitution of Flood Damaged Irrigation Acres in order to permanently retire acres damaged by floodwaters and substitute those acres for the same number of acres in the same contiguous farm unit under common ownership if it is not economically feasible to restore the flood damaged acres to irrigation use.

Filing a Notice of Substitution of Flood Damaged Irrigation Acres does not affect the person’s existing or vested rights to the use of the water, except as to place of use. Any water diverted or used after the substitution of acres shall not exceed the vested rights to water that exist at the time of substitution. 

Effective September 29, 2021, A Notice of Substitution of Flood Damaged Irrigation Acres can be filed by completing and submitting the form provided by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

Consistent with A.R.S. § 45-172.01(C), the Director shall post the notice on the Department's website. A Notice of Substitution of Flood Damaged Irrigation Acres is not subject to protest. If you have questions regarding the notices listed below, please contact the Surface Water Permitting Unit. 

In accordance with A.R.S. § 45-172.02, a person who is entitled to the use of water for the purpose of irrigation may file a Notice of Substitution of Irrigated Acres for Efficient Irrigation in order to permanently retire acres and substitute them for the same number of acres in the same contiguous farm unit under common ownership if the acres to be retired substantially impede implementing efficient irrigation practices on the irrigated acres due to a limiting condition.

Filing a Notice of Substitution of Irrigated Acres for Efficient Irrigation does not affect the person’s existing or vested rights to the use of the water, except as to place of use. Any water diverted or used after the substitution of acres shall not exceed the vested rights to water that exist at the time of substitution. 

Effective September 29, 2021, A Notice of Substitution of Irrigated Acres for Efficient Irrigation can be filed by completing and submitting the form provided by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.

Consistent with A.R.S. § 45-172.02(C), the Director shall post the notice on the Department's website. A Notice of Substitution of Irrigated Acres for Efficient Irrigation is not subject to protest. If you have questions regarding the notices listed below, please contact the Surface Water Permitting Unit.