Cultural water demand data including population, number of wells and the average well pumpage and surface water diversions by the municipal, industrial and agricultural sectors are shown in Table 3.14-8.  Effluent generation including facility ownership, location, population served and not served, volume treated, disposal method and treatment level is shown on Table 3.14-9.  Figure 3.14-10 shows the location of demand centers.  A description of cultural water demand data sources and methods is found in Volume 1, Appendix A.  More detailed information on cultural water demand is found in Section 3.0.7.  For information on gpcd and annual water demand by individual community water systems in this basin see ADWR's Community Water System Program annual water use reporting summary.

Cultural Water Demand

• Refer to Table 3.14-8 and Figure 3.14-10.

• Population has increased by about 3,000 residents from 1980 to 2000. 

• Total groundwater use decreased from 1971 to 1990 and has increased from 1991 to 2005 due to agricultural pumpage, with an average of 176,300 AFA in the period from 2001-2005.

• All surface water diversions are for municipal demand at Fort Grant, a state prison at the end of Highway 266, with less than 300 acre-feet diverted from 1991 – 2005.

• Over 90% of all water use in this basin is for agriculture.

• Agricultural demand has increased from 1991 with an average of 167,400 AFA pumped in the period from 2001-2005.

• Agricultural demand is widely distributed throughout the Sulphur Springs Valley down the center of the basin.

• This basin contains both the most overall groundwater demand in the planning area and the most groundwater demand for agriculture.

• Most high intensity municipal and industrial demand is found near Willcox.

• Low intensity municipal and industrial demand is located near Willcox and along Highway 191.

• Approximately 90% of municipal water supply is groundwater. 

• There is one large active mine, Johnson Camp Mine, west of Interstate 10.

• There is one power plant, the Apache Station Generation Plant, in the vicinity of Highway 191.  This is the only power plant in the planning area.  

• As of 2005 there were 3,150 registered wells with a pumping capacity of less than or equal to 35 gpm and 1,873 wells with a pumping capacity of more than 35 gpm.

Effluent Generation

• Refer to Table 3.14-9.

• There are three wastewater treatment facilities in the basin that generate more than 500 acre-feet of effluent per year.

• Almost 4,000 people are served by these facilities.

• One facility, the Willcox Wastewater Treatment Plant, discharges wastewater for golf course/turf irrigation.

Click to view Table 3.14-8 Cultural Water Demand in the Willcox Basin

Click to view Table 3.14-9 Effluent Generation in the Willcox Basin

Click to view Figure 3.14-10 Willcox Basin

Cultural Water Demand

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