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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
waterlogged area; exemption area
Purpose
Retroactive to January 1, 1989, requires the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), beginning on January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2034, to determine that the withdrawal of up to 10,000 acre-feet of groundwater by a municipal provider from the area delineated on a prescribed map of the Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) is consistent with the management goal of the Phoenix AMA, sufficient groundwater or surface water and not excess water.
Background
The Director of ADWR must develop a management plan for each initial AMA for each of five management periods to meet the management goals of each AMA. The management goal of the Phoenix AMA is safe yield by January 1, 2025 (A.R.S. § 45-562).
Each person who is entitled to use groundwater pursuant to an irrigation grandfathered right on irrigation acres located within a delineated section of the Phoenix AMA is exempt, beginning January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2034, from any irrigation water duties or intermediate water duties established or required to be established for those irrigation acres in the management plans for any of the five management periods for the Phoenix AMA. The boundaries of the exempted area are delineated on a map of the Phoenix AMA and filed in the office of the Secretary of State (A.R.S. § 45-411.01).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the Director of ADWR, beginning on January 1, 1989, through December 31, 2034, to determine that the withdrawal of up to 10,000 acre-feet of groundwater by a municipal provider from the area delineated on a prescribed map of the Phoenix AMA is:
a) consistent with the management goal of the Phoenix AMA;
b) sufficient groundwater or surface water; and
c) not excess water.
2. Becomes effective on the general effective date, retroactive to January 1, 1989.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 14, 2025
SB/SN/ci