In a move that underlines Arizona’s ongoing struggle to secure water supply in the face of rising demand and dwindling resources, the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) has sanctioned a groundbreaking groundwater transportation agreement. As reported by the Office of the Arizona Governor, for the first time, ADWR approved the transportation of groundwater from the Harquahala Groundwater Basin to the City of Buckeye and Town of Queen Creek, adding a combined total of up to 10,926 acre-feet per year to their water portfolios.
The decision, lauded by stakeholders for its potential to bolster economic vitality, doesn’t come without scrutiny. Passed by ADWR’s Transportation Order, extensive modeling assured that the pumping will not harm existing water users, though the history of water management in America’s Southwest is often punctuated by disputes and ecological concerns. Buckeye and Queen Creek, with authorization to draw substantial volumes of water, are seen by some as setting a precedent in a region where every drop is counted – and counted upon.
According to the Office of the Arizona Governor, this approval follows the Governor’s Water Council Recommendations from 2023 and coincides with 2024 legislation that strengthened oversight of water transportation. The Harquahala Groundwater Basin, a “groundwater savings account,” has been in the state’s sights since 1991, designated for just such an eventuality of growth and need…