subsequent active management area; designation

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details on the exact criteria for determining if an area meets the conditions to be designated as a subsequent active management area, nor does it specify how often reviews will occur.

Designating Subsequent Active Management Areas

This bill changes how Arizona designates new areas that need special groundwater management.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the director to designate an area as a subsequent active management area if certain conditions are met, such as needing practices to preserve water for future use or protecting against land damage and water quality issues.
• Specifies that these designated areas must be at least one whole groundwater basin, except in northern Arizona where exceptions can be made for regional aquifer systems.
• Requires the director to periodically review all areas not currently under management to determine if they meet criteria for becoming a subsequent active management area.

Who It Names or Affects

• The director responsible for managing groundwater in Arizona
• Areas that may be designated as subsequent active management areas

Terms To Know

Subsequent Active Management Area

An area designated by the state to manage its groundwater resources after initial active management areas have been established.

Groundwater Basin

A specific region where water is stored underground and moves through rock or soil.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify the exact criteria for determining if an area meets the conditions to be designated as a subsequent active management area.
• It's unclear how often the director will review areas that are not currently under management.

Official Summary Text

HB2518 - subsequent active management area; designation

Current Bill Text

HB2518 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
subsequent active management area; designation

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2518

Introduced by

Representatives
Stahl Hamilton: Gutierrez, Sandoval, Simacek, Travers, Villegas;� Senators
Gabald�n, Ortiz

AN
ACT

amending section 45-412, Arizona
Revised Statutes; relating to subsequent active management areas.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section
1.
Section
45-412, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
45-412.

Subsequent
active management areas; criteria; review of groundwater basins not subject to
active management

A. The
director
may

shall
designate an area
which

that
is not included
within an initial active management area, pursuant to section 45-411, as
a subsequent active management area if the director determines that any of the
following exists:

1. Active
management practices are necessary to preserve the existing supply of
groundwater for future needs.

2. Land
subsidence or fissuring is endangering property or potential groundwater
storage capacity.

3. Use
of groundwater is resulting in actual or threatened water quality degradation.

B. An
active management area designated pursuant to this section may include more
than one groundwater basin but shall not be smaller than a groundwater basin or
include only a portion of a groundwater basin, except for the regional aquifer
systems of northern Arizona.

C. The
director shall periodically review all areas
which

that

are not included
within an active management area to
determine
whether such areas meet any of the criteria for active management areas
as prescribed in this section.
END_STATUTE