With Arizona not meeting groundwater pumping restriction goals established 45 years ago, water leaders in the state are going back to the drawing board on a plan to incentivize transitioning water rights from agricultural to urban use.
Last year, the state legislature passed a bill to do just that, but it was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs. At the time, Hobbs stated her administration supports the core concept of converting agricultural lands to lower water-use development but had issues with the way the bill was crafted. Now, her Arizona Department of Water Resources is framing a plan to make it work.
“ADWR subsequently has said, ‘We believe that this program can work. It’s just, can you get all the pieces to fit correctly?’” said Warran Tenney, executive director of the Arizona Municipal Water Users Association, during the group’s board of directors during a meeting Jan. 30.
