State SealARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 

SB 1512: active management areas; sixth management period

PRIME SPONSOR: Senator Griffin, LD 14

BILL STATUS: Caucus & COW

EENR: DP 7-3-0-0

Legend: ADWR – Arizona Department of Water Resources AMA – Active Management Area Amendments – BOLD and Stricken (Committee)

Abstract

☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteRelating to the establishment of a sixth management period.

Provisions

1.       Establishes a sixth management period from 2025 to 2035. (Sec. 5)

2.       Requires the ADWR Director to adopt a management plan for each AMA in accordance with specific guidelines and mandatory conservation requirements for agriculture, municipal and industrial users by January 1, 2023. (Sec. 5)

3.       Instructs the ADWR Director to:

a.       evaluate the conservation requirements and irrigation water duties required for the fifth and sixth management periods to determine if changes are appropriate; and

b.       establish one or more advisory committees for each AMA to assist in the evaluation and allows ADWR to contract with an independent researcher.

i.         Specifies the report and recommendations must be submitted to the Governor and the Legislature by December 31, 2030, and repeals this requirement on October 1, 2031. (Sec. 8)

4.       Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1-4, 6, 7, 9)

Current Law

The 1980 Groundwater Management Act established levels of water management to respond to different groundwater conditions in Arizona, and created ADWR to administer the programs. The Act created AMAs in geographic areas where groundwater depletion is most severe. The five AMAs are Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, Pinal and Santa Cruz (A.R.S. §§ 45-411 and 45-411.03).

ADWR is required to develop and implement water conservation requirements for agriculture, municipal and industrial water users in each AMA over five management periods. Rules for the fifth management period (2020-2025) must be promulgated by January 1, 2019. All persons must comply with the applicable irrigation water duty or conservation requirements no later than January 1, 2025, and remain in compliance until the Legislature determines otherwise (A.R.S. § 45-568).

 

 

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Fifty-third Legislature                  SB 1512

Second Regular Session                               Version 2: Caucus & COW

 

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