Environmental and Natural Resources

A Robust and Diverse Water Portfolio Enables Arizona to Meet the Challenges Ahead

Over the past five weeks, we have described the wide range of water resources available to meet Arizona’s current and future needs.  These resources include groundwater, in-state surface water, Colorado River water, long-term storage credits, and reclaimed water.  We also discussed the latest developments on groundwater availability in the Phoenix Active Management Area.  As these […]

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Associate

Breaking News:  Phoenix AMA Has Abundant Groundwater and Will Still Have Abundant Groundwater in 100 Years

On June 1, 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs revealed the results of a new groundwater model prepared by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (“ADWR”) that predicts the future availability of groundwater for pumping throughout most of the Phoenix Active Management Area (the “Phoenix AMA”) over the 100-year period mandated by ADWR’s Assured Water Supply […]

| 12 min read | Tagged: , , ,
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JB
JH
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The Rise of Reclaimed Water:  Reuse of Water in Arizona, Already Important, is Primed to Grow Alongside Increasing Scarcity of Other Water Sources

It seems that not a day goes by without another news story bringing Arizona to the forefront of a national dialogue about water security in a time of drought, changing climate, and growing population. This article is Part 6 of Snell & Wilmer’s series providing context for that dialogue as it applies to Arizona’s diverse […]

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JH
Associate
WS

Arizona’s In-State Surface Water Resources:  Appropriable Water, Used Appropriately, Fosters Economic Development

This article is Part 3 of a series providing information about the resilience of Arizona’s water supplies during a time in which the news is dominated by stories about drought and scarcity.  As we noted in Part 1, Arizona has a very diverse water portfolio to draw on, including Colorado River water, in-state surface water, […]

| 10 min read | Tagged: , ,
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JH
Associate
WS

More than Just a Drop in the Bucket, Arizona Groundwater Supplies Pose Problems and Potential Solutions for Policy Makers

While the local and national press inundate us with articles about the dire nature of Arizona’s water supplies and questions about why people are even allowed to live in a desert, careful planning by water leaders over decades has created resilient responses to these challenges that are unmatched in the Southwest and perhaps the nation.  […]

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JB
JH
Associate
WS

Management Plan Work Group Offers Public Opportunity to Develop Water Policies

by Fred Breedlove Arizona’s 1980 Groundwater Code offers a unique opportunity for the public to get involved in shaping water policy through the process of adopting management plans for the Active Management Areas (“AMAs”).  The process is playing out now and there are still opportunities to make your voice heard. There are five AMAs, generally […]

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