Hobbs, ADWR taking first steps to declare water AMA in Willcox, Bonita

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs chats with attendees at the Safford Spring Festival sponsor dinner Thursday, April 25, 2024, at The Venue on Main. Also pictured are, from left, Graham County Chamber Director Vance Bryce, Roycycled Treasures owner Royce Hunt-Bell and Eastern Arizona Courier Editor Tom Bodus. - David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

Contributed article

PHOENIX — Governor Katie Hobbs, local vineyard owner Mark Jorve, farmer Ed Curry, and resident Steve Kisiel issued statements Wednesday in support of the Arizona Department of Water Resources announcing the Notice of Initiation of Designation Procedures for a potential Willcox Groundwater Basin AMA.

“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,” Hobbs said. “I saw dried up wells, fissures in the earth, and farms struggling to survive because of unchecked pumping of the precious water that Arizonans rely on. As the Department of Water Resources begins this important process, I look forward to hearing more from Arizonans concerned about securing our water future. 

“For too long, politicians have stuck their heads in the sand and refused to take action to fix the problems Arizonans face. I won’t. I know protecting our water isn’t a Democratic or a Republican issue, it’s an Arizona issue. I will continue to put politics aside and work across the aisle to deliver the solutions Arizonans are desperate for.”

“We support and welcome this step taken towards protecting our water supplies. As a small business vineyard in the Willcox groundwater basin we’ve experienced firsthand the alarming declines in our local water levels due to decades of unchecked, unlimited groundwater pumping,” said Jorve, owner of Zarpara Vineyard. “An AMA designation would finally put us on a path to stabilizing this precious and shared resource to safeguard local growers and business owners.”

“When a situation becomes a crisis, it demands action,” said fourth-generation Arizona farmer Curry. “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. I am thankful for the courage of Governor Hobbs and her administration to tackle these issues head on.”

“Today’s announcement by ADWR to initiate the AMA designation process gives me hope that we will finally have a secure water future here in the Willcox Basin,” said Willcox basin homeowner Kisiel. “For too many years legislative and executive inaction to protect rural groundwater in Arizona has led to severe consequences for myself and my neighbors. While today’s announcement is just the first step on our journey toward a better water future, we can finally see a solution on the horizon. Thank you to ADWR and Governor Hobbs for your historic work to preserve our groundwater supplies.”

The action comes after Governor Hobbs visited the Willcox basin to examine the effects of unlimited groundwater pumping, including dried wells and earth fissures, and met with local officials and everyday Arizonans to hear more about their experiences with groundwater depletion. Groundwater conditions in the Willcox Basin have declined at alarming rates, making it one of the most endangered groundwater basins in the state. 

The Notice of Initiation of Designation Procedures is the first step in ADWR considering designating an Active Management Area in the Willcox Groundwater Basin. As a part of that process, ADWR is accepting comments and will hold a public hearing at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at the Willcox Community Center. 

More information on groundwater conditions in the Willcox Basin can be found HERE.

In 2022, voters in the Willcox and Bonita areas voted against declaration of an AMA for the Willcox Basin by an almost two-to-one margin, with 2,443 votes against the AMA and 1,461 in favor.

Willcox Groundwater Basin
– Contributed Image

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