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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session
west basin water users; committee
(NOW: committees; west basin water users)
Purpose
Establishes the Mohave County West Basin Water Users Study Committee and the La Paz County West Basin Water Users Study Committee (Study Committees).
Background
The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) regulates all groundwater wells in Arizona and conducts periodic statewide water level and water quality measurements. ADWR operates automated groundwater monitoring sites throughout the state to obtain water supply data (ADWR).
Laws 2018, Chapter 280 appropriated $100,000 in FY 2019 from the state General Fund to ADWR to contract with an independent consultant to estimate the rate of groundwater depletion in the northwest basins planning area and estimate the number of years of groundwater remaining in the basin.
A groundwater basin is an area which may be designated so as to enclose a relatively hydrologically distinct body or related bodies of groundwater (A.R.S. § 45-402).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Establishes the Study Committees, each consisting of 10 members.
2. Requires the State Land Commissioner or their designee to serve as nonvoting advisory members on the Study Committees.
3. Requires members of the Study Committees to be appointed based on their knowledge of, interest in and experience with the development, use and conservation of water and to reside or own property in the prescribed county.
4. Requires members of the Mohave County West Basin Water Users Study Committee to represent the users of the groundwater in the Hualapai Valley basin and the Sacramento Valley basin and be appointed as follows:
a) one person appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Speaker) and one person appointed by the President of the Senate (President) who is actively engaged in animal or plant production in the respective county as the person's main source of income;
b) one county supervisor from Mohave County appointed by the Speaker;
c) one city or town council member or the mayor of a city or town located in Mohave County appointed by the President;
d) one person appointed by the Speaker who represents industrial water users in Mohave County;
e) one person appointed by the President who represents a natural resource conservation district located in Mohave County;
f) one person appointed by the Speaker who represents mining water users in Mohave County;
g) one member of the public appointed by the President who owns three or more water wells in Mohave County;
h) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker who represents a legislative district that contains one or more basins in the respective county and who serves as cochairperson; and
i) one member of the Senate appointed by the President who represents a legislative district that contains one or more basins in the respective county and who serves as cochairperson.
5. Requires members of the La Paz County West Basin Water Users Study Committee to represent the users of groundwater in the Renegras Plain basin, the McMullen Valley basin and the Butler Valley basin and be appointed as follows:
a) one person appointed by the Speaker and one person appointed by the President who is actively engaged in animal or plant production in the respective county as the person's main source of income;
b) one county supervisor from La Paz county appointed by the President;
c) one city or town council member or the mayor of a city or town located in La Paz County appointed by the Speaker;
d) one person appointed by the President who represents industrial water users in La Paz County;
e) one person appointed by the Speaker who represents a natural resource conservation district located in La Paz County;
f) one person appointed by the President who represents mining water users in La Paz County;
g) one member of the public appointed by the Speaker who owns three or more water wells in La Paz County;
h) one member of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker who represents a legislative district that contains one or more basins in the respective county and who serves as cochairperson; and
i) one member of the Senate appointed by the President who represents a legislative district that contains one or more basins in the respective county and who serves as cochairperson.
6. Requires the Study Committees to:
a) receive and analyze all groundwater withdrawal data developed by ADWR;
b) make recommendations to the Director of ADWR (Director), including recommendations on programs and policies for the basins;
c) review and make recommendations to the Director regarding the independent consultant's report which includes an estimate of the rate of groundwater depletion in the northwest basins planning area and estimates the number of years of groundwater that remains in the basins; and
d) submit a report of recommendations to the Director, the Governor, the Speaker and the President on or before December 31, 2021, and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
7. Specifies that the members of the Study Committees are not eligible to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses.
8. Repeals the Study Committees on July 1, 2022.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
NREW 2/19/19 DPA/SE 12-0-0-1
3rd Read 3/11/19 53-7-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 19, 2019
KN/LD/gs