As the Willcox groundwater basin continues its alarming decline, residents gathered to hear the latest from Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) experts. Data presented at a public meeting laid out the stark reality: the region's groundwater levels are not just falling; they're plummeting. The event, which was originally live-streamed but marred by technical issues, is now available through re-recorded sessions due to the audio and video quality during the live event.
ADWR's Chief Hydrologist Ryan Mitchell shared figures indicating a drawdown as significant as 400 feet from 1940 to 2015. To place this in perspective, the 5.7 million acre-feet of water pulled out of the basin is equivalent to nearly two years' worth of Arizona's Colorado River allocation. "If all pumping stopped today, it would take over 280 years for the aquifer to recover," Mitchell disclosed in a statement obtained by ADWR.
Sinking surface levels in the basin, which have dropped up to 11.5 feet since 1969, are leading to surface fissures, with the potential to cause significant damage. Ranking as one of the most threatened groundwater basins in Arizona, Willcox is grouped with other distressed basins outside the scope of current regulatory authority. It's a critical situation that stands to worsen without intervention.
Natalie Mast, director of ADWR's Active Management division, outlined the potential management structures in her presentation. She explained the process for establishing Active Management Areas (AMAs) or Irrigation Non-expansion Areas (INAs), emphasizing that the purpose of the ADWR presentations was informational only, in a presentation re-recorded after the event. Mast indicated that the formation of a management structure could either come from a majority vote or a decision by the ADWR Director.
In the wake of the presentations, community members made their voices heard. Steve Kisiel, a resident of Sunsites, expressed his concerns, noting that he and his neighbors have been forced to deepen their wells. "My neighbors all have had to deepen their wells," Kisiel told ADWR. Others, like Mark Jorve from the Willcox wine industry, noted a 100-foot drop in the water table over 15 years, stating, "This time, we really need to take care of it."
The issue has caught the attention of State Representative Gail Griffin, who highlighted legislative efforts to address the region's groundwater troubles. As residents and policymakers alike ponder their next move, rainwater harvesting was also presented as an option. "If you can do rainwater harvesting, why do you even need a well?" pondered Ray Ihly, a local ranch owner, during the discussion. ADWR is set to answer questions and address issues raised during the meeting in an upcoming "Frequently Asked Questions" as documented by ADWR.
