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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
Colorado River; cause of decline
Purpose
Expresses the Legislatures recognition of the importance of the eradication of salt cedars and managing the forest to substantially increase the available water in the Colorado River.
Background
The salt cedar tree is an invasive species that was introduced during the 1800s as an ornamental plant for erosion control. The salt cedar lowers water tables through its deep roots and creates large deposits of salt in the soil by taking up salt from deep underground then filtering out the salt through the leaves that are then dropped on the ground which builds up salt on top of the soil (USDA; USFS). A salt cedar can use about 200 gallons of water a day (NPS). At the inflows of the Salt and Verde River reservoirs, salt cedars have taken root in the deep silt deposits because the water levels fluctuate too regularly for native trees such as the cottonwood and willow (USFS).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. States that the Legislature:
a) recognizes the mismanagement of overgrown forests and the proliferation of water-depleting plants like salt cedars in watersheds reduces annual flows to the Colorado River;
b) acknowledges that until the issues of forest mismanagement and salt cedar proliferation are addressed any proactive conservation efforts or investments that state or private organizations make will be consumed by additional proliferation of salt cedars;
c) supports the eradication of salt cedars and the management of overgrown forests;
d) determines that eradicating salt cedars and responsibly managing forests in the West presents an opportunity to substantially increase the available water in the Colorado River; and
e) urges the U.S. Congress to fund the eradication of salt cedars and enable the responsible mechanical thinning of unhealthy overgrown forests in the West.
2. Directs the Secretary of State to transmit a copy of the resolution to the President of the United States, the President of the U.S. Senate, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Chief of the U.S. Forest Services, the Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and each member of Congress from Arizona.
3. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
NREW 2/18/25 DPA 6-4-0-0
3rd Read 3/12/25 32-23-5
Prepared by Senate Research
March 21, 2025
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