Bill > HB2415

This bill establishes a framework for implementing correlative groundwater rights in certain basin-fill aquifers in Arizona. The legislation allows the director of the Department of Water Resources to establish correlative rights in eligible groundwater basins or subbasins that are alluvial-fill basins and not part of the central Arizona project aqueduct. The director can establish these rights under specific conditions, such as when a basin meets criteria for a subsequent active management area or has not achieved a safe yield management goal. The bill creates a process where landowners are allocated personal groundwater accounts based on their proportional surface area, with each account receiving an initial lump sum of groundwater and annual recharge credits. Groundwater can be freely traded, transferred, or conserved within the basin, but must be used reasonably and without damaging other landowners' rights. The bill includes provisions for a statewide election in 2026 to potentially expand correlative rights to all eligible basins, with all qualified state voters eligible to vote on the measure. Notably, the legislation emphasizes protecting public health and safety while providing a new mechanism for groundwater management that is not directly intended to regulate land ownership.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/82208