This bill proposes to amend current statutes by adding a new section to Title 45, Chapter 2, Article 9 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, specifically Section 45-581. The new provisions require the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to adopt rules for updating groundwater modeling in active management areas (AMAs). These updates must account for any natural, incidental, or artificial stormwater recharge resulting from the development of new or existing infrastructure.

Additionally, the bill mandates that the Director assume that the stormwater recharge from such developments will offset a portion of future groundwater use. Furthermore, it requires the Director to conduct annual updates to the groundwater model to reflect any new stormwater recharge. Overall, these changes aim to enhance the management of groundwater resources in Arizona by incorporating stormwater recharge into the existing modeling framework.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 45-581
House Engrossed Version: 45-581