OCTOBER 12, 2022 DIRECTOR'S ORDER INITIATING PROCEEDINGS AND ORDER FOR PUBLIC HEARING
EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 12, 2022 – Pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-434, irrigation users may irrigate only those acres of land within the Proposed INA which were irrigated at any time during the five years preceding the first date of publication of this notice (October 12, 2022). This limitation on the acres which may be irrigated shall continue in effect until the Director makes a final determination on the Proposed INA. “Irrigate” is defined in A.R.S. § 45-402 and means to apply water to two or more acres of land to produce plants or parts of plants for sale or human consumption, or for use as feed for livestock, range livestock or poultry.
On September 20, 2022 the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) held a public meeting to present information and accept public comments on whether the Director of ADWR should initiate procedures to designate the Hualapai Valley Groundwater Basin as an Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA). Below is a map depicting the Hualapai Valley Groundwater Basin. Based upon hydrologic information and public comments received, the Director signed an Order to initiate procedures to designate the Hualapai Valley Groundwater Basin an INA on October 12, 2022. In the same Order the Director also ordered a Public Hearing to hear evidence both orally and written, as to the following:
- Is there an insufficient groundwater supply to provide a reasonably safe supply for irrigation of the cultivated lands in the area at the current rate of withdrawal? and,
- Is the establishment of an active management area pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-412 not presently necessary? and,
- Should the Department issue an Order, designating the area as depicted in Exhibit A, as a subsequent irrigation non-expansion area?
At the hearing, the Department will present the factual data in its possession in support of or in opposition to the proposed subsequent irrigation on-expansion area, pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-435(C).
PUBLIC HEARING INFORMATION
When: Saturday, November 12, 2022
Time: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Mohave County Administration Building
700 W. Beale Street
Kingman, Arizona 86401
Virtually: https://adwr.info/3VaOO4w
Any person or authorized representative may appear at the hearing and submit oral or documentary evidence for or against the proposed action. Additionally, written comments not submitted at the hearing described above may be submitted by mail, email, fax, or hand delivery until 5:00 P.M. on November 18, 2022 to:
Sharon Scantlebury
Docket Supervisor
Arizona Department of Water Resources
1110 W. Washington, Suite 310
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 771-8472 (phone)
(602) 771-8686 (fax)
[email protected]
Within 30 days after the close of the record for this proceeding, the Director will issue an Order containing his written findings with respect to all pertinent matters considered during the hearing. The record for this matter closed on November 18, 2022.
ADWR Public Hearing Presentation | Public Hearing WebEx Recording | Transcript
COMMENTS RECEIVED DURING FORMAL PUBLIC HEARING PERIOD
David Seigworth | BSNRCD | Steve & Sharon Rhizor | Diane Metcalf | Marianne Salem | Jake Chavez | Peacock Nuts, LLC | Real Change PAC | Brian Magee | Mark Yandell | Arizona Farm Bureau | James Jones | Richard & Joanna Mynar | Nick Benson Sr. | Mohave County Development Services | Edward Swapp | Brian Underwood | Wayne Hollins | Omar & Janette Ponce | Water for Arizona Coalition | Supervisor Jean Bishop | Aileron Investments | Tony Reed | Mohave County Landowners Association | Cunningham Family | Debra Sixta | High Desert Ag & Aileron Investments | Charlotte & Harry Sangick | Mike Neal | Rocky Dhaliwal | Malwa Farming | R&R Management | Gary Black | Moga Farming | Moga Agri Industries Holdings, LLC | Kathy Tackett-Hicks | Vicki Kistler | Kylee Dorsten | Lynn Dion | Steve Dion | James Black | Erik & Dianah Ness | BJ Baerg | Arizona Land & Water Resources | Big Sandy NRCD |
Questions and answers from the informal comment period
