If enacted, this bill would amend current statutes by adding new requirements for the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) regarding groundwater management in active management areas (AMAs). Specifically, the bill mandates that the Director adopt rules to update groundwater modeling to incorporate any natural, incidental, or artificial stormwater recharge resulting from the development of new or existing infrastructure. This update aims to ensure that the groundwater model accurately reflects the contributions of stormwater recharge to the groundwater basin.
Additionally, the bill requires the Director to assume that the stormwater recharge from such developments will offset a portion of future groundwater use. Furthermore, it stipulates that the groundwater model must be updated annually to account for these changes in stormwater recharge. Overall, these provisions are intended to enhance the management of groundwater resources in Arizona by integrating stormwater recharge into the existing framework.
Statutes affected: Introduced Version: 45-581
House Engrossed Version: 45-581