『Arizona's Groundwater Crisis: Clamping Down on Desert Pumping』のカバーアート

Arizona's Groundwater Crisis: Clamping Down on Desert Pumping

Arizona's Groundwater Crisis: Clamping Down on Desert Pumping

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 Arizona's Water Crisis Takes Center Stage as State Cracks Down on Desert Pumping

Phoenix is facing a perfect storm of water challenges that's forcing the state to take dramatic action. Just this week, Governor Katie Hobbs announced that Arizona will begin limiting groundwater pumping in the Ranegras Plain, a desert valley about 100 miles west of Phoenix where water tables have been plummeting at an alarming rate.

The culprit? A Saudi-owned dairy company called Fondomonte, which has been pumping unlimited amounts of groundwater to grow hay for export back to the Middle East. According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, water levels in some wells have dropped more than 200 feet over the last four decades, with pumping intensifying dramatically over the past decade. The state received more than 400 public comments on the proposal to regulate the area, with the vast majority supporting intervention.

Governor Hobbs pulled no punches in her statement, vowing to crack down on out-of-state interests that are pumping Arizona dry while local families and farmers struggle. The state's Department of Water Resources designated the area as a new active management zone to preserve these finite groundwater resources. Adding pressure to the situation, Arizona's Attorney General has filed a lawsuit against Fondomonte, alleging that excessive pumping violates state law by causing groundwater declines, land subsidence, and worsening water quality.

The groundwater crisis extends far beyond this one company. According to the Colorado River Basin satellite data, groundwater has been rapidly declining across the region as reservoirs shrink. The problem is that Arizona's current groundwater law, adopted back in 1980, only limits pumping in Phoenix, Tucson, and other urban areas. That leaves about eighty percent of the state completely unregulated, allowing large farming operations and investors to drill wells and pump as much as they want.

But Arizona's water troubles don't end there. The state faces deeper cuts to its Colorado River water supply in 2026, with seven southwestern states needing to reach a water-sharing agreement by February 14th. According to water policy experts at Arizona State University, if the Colorado River system crashes and the dams and reservoirs stop operating as designed, it could devastate the entire American West's water security and have significant economic consequences.

Looking at immediate conditions, Phoenix is expecting relatively dry weather through the month with only light precipitation possible toward the end of next week. The region is getting about four days with some rain typically in January, with average rainfall around 24 millimeters.

Local officials like La Paz County Supervisor Holly Irwin are calling the groundwater regulation a big win that will prevent megafarms from moving into the area and expanding operations that drain the aquifer.

Thanks so much for tuning in to this water update. Be sure to subscribe for more Arizona news and analysis. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease dot ai.

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