SE Arizona Information

Finding a Balance - Water Challenges Facing Southeast Arizona

In September 2014, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) began working with water users in southeast Arizona on potential water management strategies to benefit all water users in the area. While the most populated areas of the state are subject to stringent groundwater management, have mandatory water conservation requirements and have access to diverse water supply portfolios, most of rural Arizona relies exclusively on groundwater as its primary water source and lacks comprehensive groundwater management regulation.

The lack of targeted groundwater management along with the effects of an ongoing 15-year drought, can result in water supplies being more stressed in some areas of rural Arizona. For these reasons, water users in southeast Arizona have expressed interest in developing water management strategies that will ensure that the necessary water supplies are available to meet their current and future water demands.

Background

During the summer of 2014, ADWR began to receive concerns about declining water levels in private residential wells and in some cases, reports of wells going dry, in southeast Arizona. As a result of declining groundwater levels, some individuals and representatives of groundwater users have expressed interest in developing water management practices for the area with the hopes of slowing the water level declines.

ADWR believes that in order to develop the best water management solutions for the area, it is important to first conduct an analysis of the water conditions in the area. Therefore, the ADWR Director ordered ADWR field services staff to conduct a detailed inventory (sweep) of water level conditions throughout wells in the Willcox and Douglas Basins and the San Simon Valley Sub-basin.

Prior to conducting the well sweep, ADWR established a web-based reporting portal whereby individuals impacted by wells going dry could report those incidents online. Those wishing to volunteer their well to be part of the investigation were also encouraged to complete the survey.

To date, over 60 responses to the survey have been received from well owners and concerned citizens. The results of the survey indicate that many domestic wells have been impacted by declining water levels in the Willcox, Cochise, Sunsites, Pearce and Sunzona areas (see link below). Many wells have been deepened or replaced, and there has been almost universal concern expressed about water conditions from survey participants.

ADWR appreciates the cooperation of everyone who has responded to the survey.

Please note that ADWR was not able to visit every well that was volunteered to be part of the well survey.

Link to Survey Results

Report that your well has gone dry.

ADWR’s Data Collection Efforts

ADWR staff has completed the well sweep in the Willcox area. Preliminary data from the well sweep is available.

Staff will complete the sweeps in the Douglas and San Simon areas throughout the months of February and March. Results of the well sweeps will be included in a monitoring report that will be published in the summer of 2015. The information collected will provide a comprehensive update on groundwater conditions throughout the area and will assist in future decision making and water planning in the region. Once completed, the report will be published on ADWR’s website.

Groundwater Management

Currently, there are only two water management tools available that were designed to directly manage groundwater withdrawal and use. These tools are Active Management Areas (AMAs) and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas (INAs). Groundwater withdrawn from inside of an AMA can be subject to withdrawal fees, metering, annual reporting, conservation requirements, and other provisions, while groundwater withdrawn form inside of an INA can be subject to metering and reporting. The process to establish a new AMA or INA can be initiated by the local community; however, at this time ADWR does not believe that either of these tools would be the best solution for the Willcox Basin.

ADWR staff has been meeting with local water users to discuss water management strategies for the area. ADWR plans to continue engaging in these meetings until an effective groundwater management approach for the area has been developed.

Information on Substantial Capital Investment

Provided below are examples of documentation previously used by ADWR to make determinations on applications for the consideration of substantial capital investment in granting a Notice of Groundwater Authority ("60") in an INA or Certificate of Grandfathered Groundwater Right ("78") in an AMA. These examples are being provided for informational purposes only.