Arizona’s Groundwater Debate: Biggs Challenges Hobbs’ Policies
In a potential shakeup to Arizona’s environmental policies, Congressman Andy Biggs has expressed intentions to possibly overturn certain groundwater protections put in place by Governor Katie Hobbs. As Biggs vies for the governor’s seat, his stance on water management has become a focal point of his campaign.
Despite facing a Republican-controlled legislature, Governor Hobbs has managed to implement significant groundwater management measures. Under her leadership, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) introduced two new “active management areas” (AMAs) to restrict groundwater pumping, specifically targeting the Willcox basin in the south and the Ranegras Plain basin in the west.
Biggs has openly questioned the efficacy of these AMAs, particularly the one in Cochise County, which encompasses Willcox. “We’ll have to see how they’re working,” Biggs remarked on Tuesday, expressing skepticism about the Cochise County AMA’s functionality. Residents of Willcox had previously voted against establishing an AMA in 2022, but the ADWR unilaterally created one in 2024, as detailed here.
Biggs advocates for a different approach to groundwater management, proposing increased infrastructure investment to better utilize Arizona’s groundwater resources. “We have a lot of it, we’re going to make it useful. That means you gotta have the infrastructure and you’ve gotta have the management,” he stated. He contends that the state faces a management issue rather than a supply problem, emphasizing the need to pump more groundwater as highlighted here.
Currently, Arizona has eight AMAs, a system largely stemming from the 1980 Groundwater Management Act and designed primarily for urban areas like Phoenix and Tucson. However, there is bipartisan consensus that AMAs may not be suitable for rural regions, necessitating a tailored alternative. Previous attempts to establish such alternatives, including efforts by former state Senator Sine Kerr, have stalled due to partisan disagreements. Kerr, now running as Biggs’ lieutenant governor candidate, plans to collaborate with water experts to forge a comprehensive water strategy.
Governor Hobbs, on the other hand, initiated the Governor’s Water Policy Council early in her term to focus on evaluating and improving groundwater management. Kerr, who was once part of this council, resigned in October 2023, citing a lack of attention to agricultural interests, as reported here.
