ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
water; groundwater
transportation.
Expands
the authority to withdraw groundwater in the Harquahala Irrigation Nonexpansion
Area (INA), to be transported to an initial active management area (AMA).
Groundwater transfer
legislation adopted in 1991 prohibited the transportation of groundwater
withdrawn from a groundwater basin or sub-basin that is outside an initial AMA
directly or indirectly to an initial AMA (Laws 1991, Chapter 212). However,
there were a limited number of exceptions made to this law for transfers from
certain basins, sub-basins or INAs if certain conditions were met. One such
exception was made for groundwater transfers from the Harquahala INA to an
initial AMA. Groundwater withdrawals for transportation outside the INA are
permitted for a groundwater replenishment district or a political subdivision
that owns land in the INA. The withdrawals in this INA are limited to withdrawals
of a specified amount of water, at a certain rate and at a specified
depth. Legislation was enacted in 2000
to similarly limit the groundwater withdrawals of commercial and industrial
water users in any INA where groundwater transfers are allowed to an initial
AMA (e.g. the Harquahala INA).
Owners and lessees of lands in the Harquahala
INA are seeking modifications to the limitations on who may withdraw
groundwater from the INA and the location of the withdrawals. S.B. 1519 allows the lessees of land in the
INA to withdraw groundwater for transportation to an initial AMA and allows
groundwater to be withdrawn from any location in the INA as long as the water
is withdrawn in association with the irrigated land. In addition, the authority to withdraw groundwater for
transportation to an initial AMA is expanded to include all landowners or
lessees in the INA, and not just political subdivisions that own land in the
INA.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the
general fund associated with S.B. 1519.
1. Expands the limited authority to transport groundwater withdrawn from a subsequent INA to an initial AMA to include any person, and not just political subdivisions.
2. Allows a person who owns or leases lands in the Harquahala INA that are eligible for irrigation to withdraw groundwater from any location within the INA for transportation to an initial AMA, subject to existing limitations. The withdrawal does not have to be from the appurtenant irrigated lands.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
February 6, 2001