Arizona judges won’t force the state to determine if there needs to be greater state oversight of water use along the upper San Pedro River — a move that could ultimately lead to a limit on groundwater pumping.
In a new ruling Wednesday, the state Court of Appeals acknowledged Arizona law requires the Department of Water Resources to “periodically review” whether to create what are known as “active management areas” in parts of the state that now have minimal to no limits on groundwater pumping. Such a designation would give the state the power to impose new restrictions.
And the court did not dispute arguments by two environmental groups that it has been more than 20 years since the state agency conducted such a review of the San Pedro Basin.
