Arizona Grants Groundwater Withdrawal Rights to Buckeye and Queen Creek

Categories: Arizona Business NewsArizona State News

The Harquahala Groundwater Basin, a critical water source for Arizona's rapidly growing communities.

News Summary

The Arizona water resources department has approved historic groundwater withdrawal rights for Buckeye and Queen Creek, allowing them to transport water from the Harquahala Groundwater Basin. Buckeye can withdraw 5,926 acre-feet annually, while Queen Creek is granted 5,000 acre-feet. This decision aims to tackle water supply challenges amid rapid population growth in the West Valley. Local mayors express optimism about enhancing water portfolios and improving residents’ quality of life, despite legal challenges and future water availability concerns.

Arizona’s water resources department has granted groundbreaking groundwater withdrawal rights to the communities of Buckeye and Queen Creek, marking the first time groundwater from the Harquahala Groundwater Basin can be transported out of the region.

The approval allows Buckeye to withdraw 5,926 acre-feet of groundwater annually for up to 110 years, while Queen Creek can access 5,000 acre-feet each year for the same duration. Both municipalities may apply for extensions beyond this initial period. This decision aims to address water supply concerns exacerbated by rapid population growth and ongoing developments in these West Valley communities.

Located about 60 miles west of Phoenix, the Harquahala Groundwater Basin holds approximately 8 million acre-feet of water. The area is designated as a Harquahala Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA), established in 1981 to safeguard existing agricultural water usage. The water resources department’s assessment concluded that the approved withdrawals would not cause unreasonable harm to surrounding landowners and other water users within the INA.

The projected depletion of water storage from the transport process is expected to match or be lower than the current “business as usual” depletion levels, indicating a manageable impact on the area’s water resources. Notably, one acre-foot of water is sufficient to supply about three single-family homes for a year in Arizona.

To comply with state regulations, Buckeye and Queen Creek must acquire land within the Harquahala INA before they can transport groundwater. This move is critical for mitigating projected water shortages; earlier reports indicated that these West Valley communities might face a 15% water shortage in the near future.

The mayors of both municipalities are optimistic that these new groundwater rights will enhance their communities’ water portfolios. They believe that securing this resource will improve the quality of life for residents and support continued development in the face of recent growth restrictions.

Buckeye’s rapid growth has been hampered by concerns over groundwater supply, leading to a moratorium on new subdivision certifications announced by Governor Katie Hobbs in 2023. As a result, the city has experienced a loss of two years in homebuilding and infrastructure development, with approximately 10,000 unbuilt homes still holding 100-year water supply certificates from before the restrictions.

Legal challenges have surfaced as the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona contests these groundwater restrictions in court. Concurrently, the Arizona House of Representatives has recently rejected a proposal aimed at exempting certain housing developments from the building moratorium, specifically House Bill 2299, which aimed to allow developers to reassess water supply applications based on outdated modeling.

Critics argue that relying on older groundwater models could lead to over-extraction of resources. In contrast, updated water models are believed to provide a more accurate assessment of the current groundwater situation.

Concerns remain regarding water availability from the Colorado River, which is vital for replenishing the groundwater used by developments across the Phoenix area. The implications of ongoing water supply issues and regulations continue to resonate throughout Arizona, underscoring the challenges faced by rapidly growing communities like Buckeye and Queen Creek.