Overview

• Arizona's Department of Water Resources has initiated the process to designate the Willcox Basin as an Active Management Area, the state's strictest groundwater regulation.
• The proposed regulation aims to address severe groundwater depletion, where extraction rates are nearly triple the replenishment rate, causing significant land subsidence and dry wells.
• A temporary prohibition on new agricultural irrigation in the Willcox Basin has been enacted until a decision is made on the AMA designation.
• The move follows Governor Katie Hobbs' visit to the area, where she emphasized the urgent need for action and bipartisan solutions to protect water resources.
• A public hearing is scheduled for November 22 to gather community input, with a final decision on the AMA expected within 30 days after the hearing.