SB1335 groundwater savings credits; irrigation

Authorizes a person who applies to relinquish an irrigation grandfathered right in exchange for groundwater savings credits to request, and directs the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to issue, a temporary permit to irrigate with groundwater that allows irrigation under the same requirements and limits that would apply if the right had not been relinquished and that generally terminates two years after the Director issues the credits or earlier on specified events. Requires the Director, when issuing groundwater savings credits, to apply their determination about whether certain assured water supply criteria would be satisfied to both an assured water supply application and a notice of intent to pledge groundwater savings credits to a designation of assured water supply that a person submits within two years after the credits are issued. Expands irrigation district groundwater-withdrawal provisions to recognize temporary permits to irrigate with groundwater and to include member farms operating under those temporary permits in the district’s calculation of allowable groundwater distribution. Allows a holder of groundwater savings credits issued before the effective date of this act to apply for a temporary permit to irrigate with groundwater within two years after the Director issued the credits and repeals this authorization on January 2, 2029.