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Table of Contents

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Executive Summary

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Acronyms, Abbreviations and Definitions

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Appendix A:Planning Area Volume Content

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Appendix B: Methods

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Appendix C: Summary of Arizona Water Law and Management

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Appendix D: Federal Agencies and Laws

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Appendix E: Arizona Climate and Drought

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Appendix F: Arizona Water Protection Fund

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Appendix G: Indain Water Rights Claims and Settlements

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Appendix H: Surface Water Right and Adjudication Filings

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Appendix I: Rural Watershed Initiative

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Considerable investment in water resource development and planning has occurred in many parts of Arizona, particularly within the State’s active management areas (AMAs) where major water supplies, regulations imposed by the Arizona Groundwater Code and large metropolitan areas with significant financing capabilities exist.  Outside of the AMAs, smaller communities may lack financial capacity for water supply development and mandatory water management provisions do not exist.  Nevertheless, a number of non-AMA communities have recognized the need for water resource planning and have developed renewable water supplies, conservation programs and water management plans. However the need for planning, management and comprehensive and updated water resource data is ongoing.

The purpose of the Arizona Water Atlas (Atlas) is to support water planning and development efforts by providing water-related information on a local, regional and statewide level. The Atlas is also an educational resource for the general public intended to be updated on a regular basis. In addition, the Atlas project has resulted in development of a statewide water resources data repository by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (Department).

The Atlas divides Arizona into seven planning areas (see below). “Planning areas” are composed of groundwater basins and are an organizational concept that provide for a regional perspective on water supply, demand and resource issues. There is a separate Atlas volume for each planning area (Volumes 2-8), this executive summary (Volume 1) and a water sustainability assessment (Volume 9). Volume 9 is anticipated to be completed in 2011. All completed volumes are available by clicking on the planning area below or, for a pdf version, by clicking on the document icons at the bottom of this page.

Included in this Executive Summary volume is a discussion of the organization of the Atlas, an overview of water management and planning in Arizona, a discussion on water budgets for planning purposes, a summary of water resource characteristics for the State and several appendices that describe data sources and methods of analysis, provide information on water law, management and programs, and Indian water rights claims and settlements. Atlas data and information have been compiled from a number of sources. New investigations, except as noted, were not undertaken.  This volume summarizes the content of the planning area volumes, which should be consulted for more detailed information on specific planning areas, groundwater basins and communities.

Arizona Planning Areas