- ADWR to hold a public hearing on November 22, 2024.
- Proposal to designate the Willcox Groundwater Basin as an AMA.
- Significant groundwater declines and land subsidence reported.
- Written comments accepted until November 22, 2024.
- Local residents and Governor Hobbs express support.
October 29, 2024 — The Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) has announced a public hearing
to discuss the proposal to designate the Willcox Groundwater Basin, located in southern Arizona’s Cochise and Graham Counties, as an Active Management Area (AMA). The hearing is scheduled for November 22, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at the Willcox Community Center. The purpose of the hearing is to present factual data and gather comments and evidence on whether this designation should proceed.
The Department warns that effective October 23, 2024, “Pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-416, irrigation users may irrigate only those acres of land within the Proposed AMA which were irrigated at any time during the five years preceding the date of this notice (October 23, 2024). This limitation on the acres which may be irrigated shall continue in effect until the Director makes a final determination on the Proposed AMA. “Irrigate” is defined in A.R.S. § 45-402 and means to apply water to two or more acres of land to produce plants or parts of plants for sale or human consumption, or for use as feed for livestock, range livestock or poultry.”
Groundwater Concerns in Willcox Basin.
Significant declines in groundwater levels have been observed in the Willcox basin over the past decades. According to an ADWR technical memorandum dated October 21, 2024, excessive groundwater pumping has led to declining water levels, land subsidence, and earth fissures. The memorandum states, “If left unaddressed, water level declines, land subsidence, and earth fissuring would continue to worsen at an accelerating rate.”
Local Statements from Formal Initiation Proceedings.
Local community members have expressed their concerns and support for the proposed AMA. One long-time resident stated, “I have lived in Arizona for 50 years, 26 of these years in the Willcox Basin. You better have really good justification for destroying existing ranches, and preventing future farming in an area that was founded on agriculture.”
Another resident shared his experience with groundwater depletion: “When I bought the property in 1991 I enjoyed the area. Around 2005 my well went dry… Due to this problem the property is abandoned. I do however continue to pay my taxes on the property but it is worthless as a place to live.”
Governor Hobbs’ Statement.
Governor Katie Hobbs issued a news release on October 23, expressing her support for the initiative. “When I traveled to Willcox, I heard stories from farmers, local well owners, and a bipartisan group of elected officials who are concerned about their community’s future because of groundwater depletion,” she said. “As the Department of Water Resources begins this important process, I look forward to hearing more from Arizonans concerned about securing our water future.”
Hobbs’ news release noted that local business owners and farmers also voiced their support. Mark Jorve, owner of a vineyard in the basin, stated, “We support and welcome this step taken towards protecting our water supplies.” Ed Curry, a fourth-generation Arizona farmer, added, “This announcement of a potential AMA is a new beginning for the Willcox Basin, and we must continue to work together to move forward to protect our groundwater supplies.”
Public Participation Encouraged.
Residents, farmers, and other stakeholders are encouraged to participate in the hearing. Written comments can be submitted until 5:00 P.M. on November 22, 2024, by mail or hand-delivery, or electronically until midnight on the same day. Submissions should be directed to Sharon Scantlebury, Docket Supervisor at ADWR.
The public hearing will provide a platform for all interested parties to express their views and contribute to decision-making. ADWR will present factual data and consider all comments and evidence before making a final determination on the proposed AMA designation.
For more information or to submit comments, visit ADWR’s information page.
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Top Image:
View facing east toward the Dos Cabezas Mountains from a point just east of Cochise, Arizona. In the foreground is desert shrub land surrounding the Willcox Playa
, the whitish/tan section in the middle, by The Old Pueblo, September 2014. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license..
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