If enacted, this bill would amend current statutes related to irrigation grandfathered rights (IGFR) in Arizona's subsequent active management areas (AMAs). The bill introduces new provisions that allow owners of IGFRs to use, sell, transfer, or lease their rights and the associated water duty. Specifically, it permits owners to choose not to irrigate certain portions of their land while still being able to sell or lease the associated water duty to other irrigators within the same AMA. Additionally, it allows recipients of the transferred water duty to use it anywhere in the AMA for irrigation purposes and to further convey that duty.

The bill also establishes requirements for notifying the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) when an IGFR is sold, transferred, or leased. This includes submitting a prescribed form that details the acres not subject to irrigation, the type of conveyance, and the volume of groundwater that can be used. Furthermore, the Director is tasked with adopting rules to implement these new provisions, including the potential establishment of flexibility accounts for better management of water resources. Overall, the bill aims to enhance the flexibility and usability of IGFRs in subsequent AMAs while ensuring proper oversight and regulation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 45-484
Senate Engrossed Version: 45-484