REFERENCE TITLE: groundwater basins; department survey

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature First Regular Session 2017

HB 2520

Introduced by Representative Cobb

 

AN ACT

 

requiring the department of water resources to conduct a survey of one or more areas in the groundwater basins of the upper colorado river water planning area.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Department of water resources; survey; areas of groundwater concern; report; delayed repeal

A.  The department of water resources shall conduct a survey of one or more areas in the groundwater basins of the upper Colorado river water planning area for the purpose of determining the status and resiliency of groundwater in these areas.  The department shall develop data regarding the use and availability of groundwater, including the status and number of wells, comparative groundwater levels, numbers and types of groundwater users and other data relevant to determining areas of groundwater concern, by metering and monitoring a sampling of wells that have a pump with a maximum capacity of more than thirty-five gallons per minute and developing an estimate of the number of wells in the affected area.

B.  The department of water resources shall compile and report on the data generated as prescribed by this section and shall submit that report to the county board of supervisors for each county in the relevant groundwater basins, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate and the other members of the legislature who represent the affected areas and shall submit a copy of that report to the secretary of state.  On receipt of the report, the county board of supervisors may recommend whether to meter and monitor wells and may submit its recommendation to the department of water resources.

C.  This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2017.