ADWR came to Willcox last Thursday and gave an in-depth presentation on the current hydrological status of the Willcox Basin groundwater. The recorded presentation can be viewed here and the presentation slides can be downloaded here: ADWR Slides . ADWR also posted a news release providing a high level summary of the presentation (ADWR News Release).
The hydrological data presented by ADWR paints a very sobering picture of what is happening here:
- Rapidly declining water levels (accelerating declines of up to 11 feet per year in some areas)
- Accelerating rates of ground subsidence (more than 3 inches of subsidence per year—most active subsidence in the entire state)
- Significant growth in the number and length of fissures (as of last year nearly 50 miles of active fissures across the basin)
Why is all this happening? The answer is simple: The groundwater in this basin remains totally unprotected – anyone can come in and drill a well and take as much groundwater as they want. The uncontrolled pumping has to stop and it has to stop soon.
ADWR has provided the data that explains what is happening with the water table and we have all seen the serious consequences of the over pumping. It is time for the Governor to take executive action and protect this basin.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Now is the time to make your voice heard: we need everyone to submit a comment and or question to ADWR and in your own words make the following points:
- Thank ADWR for providing this valuable information. Note your connection to the Willcox Basin (resident, property owner, neighbor, etc).
- Express your concerns for the serious declines in water levels and the increase in subsidence and fissure activity which is the direct result of the uncontrolled pumping of groundwater in the Willcox Basin.
- Feel free to share any personal experience you, your family members or your neighbors have had coping with the consequences of the groundwater depletion (dry wells, lowering you pump, subsidence damage, road closures due to fissures, etc)
- Express your sense of urgency that action needs to be taken now to secure our water future.
- Urge ADWR to initiate the INA/AMA designation process for the Willcox Basin noting that this is currently the only option available to stop new irrigation and to start reducing the amount of pumping.
If you can, please submit your comments by 5pm October 4th – that’s the posted deadline for comments but we have asked the Governor’s office to extend the deadline to the middle of next week because of technical issues which made the original recording of the presentation hard to hear and the re-recorded version was not posted until this Wednesday.
Email your comments to: docketsupervisor@azwater.gov and CC: cochisegroundwaterstewards@gmail.com