Butler Valley; La Paz; groundwater

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how existing water rights or agreements outside of Butler Valley will be affected.

Butler Valley Groundwater Withdrawal Rules

This bill changes the rules for withdrawing groundwater from Butler Valley in La Paz County, Arizona.

What This Bill Does

• Specifies that only the La Paz County Board of Supervisors can withdraw groundwater from the Butler Valley basin for transportation out of the basin.
• Establishes conditions that must be met before groundwater can be transported out of Butler Valley, including use by La Paz County or a multi-county water conservation district to meet replenishment obligations.
• Limits the total cumulative volume of groundwater sold or leased to a multi-county water conservation district to 90% of the total cumulative volume available in the basin to a depth of 1,200 feet.

Who It Names or Affects

• La Paz County Board of Supervisors
• Political subdivisions and municipal providers within La Paz County
• Multi-county water conservation districts

Terms To Know

Groundwater

Water found beneath the Earth's surface in soil pore spaces and fractures in rocks.

Butler Valley Groundwater Basin

A specific area in Western Arizona where groundwater is located.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the conditions for withdrawing groundwater are not met.
• It's unclear how this will affect existing water rights or agreements outside of Butler Valley.

Official Summary Text

HB2757 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
NREW DPA 5-2-0-3

HB
2757
: Butler Valley; La Paz; groundwater

Sponsor:
Representative Griffin, LD 19

Caucus
& COW

Overview

Modifies
eligible entities and regulations regarding the withdrawing of groundwater for
the purposes of transporting it away from the Butler Valley groundwater basin.

History

The Butler Valley groundwater basin is in a remote area in
Western Arizona within La Paz County and spans 288 square miles. The valley
floor covers 150 square miles and is bounded by low mountains: Buckskin
Mountains to the North and Granite Wash Mountains to the South. The basin is
drained by Cunningham Wash (
ADWR
).

Current law allows groundwater to be withdrawn from land
owned by this state or by a political subdivision of this state in the Butler
Valley groundwater basin for transportation to an initial active management
area (
A.R.S. � 45-553
).

Provisions

1.

Specifies
that only the La Paz County Board of Supervisors (BOS) as authorized to
withdraw groundwater from the Butler Valley basin for transportation. (Sec. 1)

2.

Modifies
locations to withdraw groundwater from the Butler Valley groundwater basin for
transportation from land owned by the State or any political subdivision of the
State to the land owned or leases by the La Paz County BOS. (Sec. 1)

3.

Establishes
the following conditions that must be met for groundwater to be transported out
of the Buter Valley groundwater basin:

a.

the
groundwater be used solely by La Paz County, a political subdivision of the
County or a municipal provider within the County for the entities own use; or

b.

the
groundwater is sold or leased to a multi-county water conservation district to
meet the district's replenishment obligations. (Sec. 1)

4.

Makes
technical changes. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on
Natural Resources, Energy and Water

1.

Prohibits the total cumulative
volume of groundwater sold or leased to a multi-county water conservation district
does not exceed 90% of the total cumulative volume of groundwater available in
the Butler Valley groundwater basin to a depth of 1,200ft. (Sec. 1)

2.

3.

4.

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5.

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2757

6.

2/15/2026� Page 0 Caucus
& COW

7.

8.

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Current Bill Text

HB2757 - 572R - I Ver

REFERENCE TITLE:
Butler Valley; La Paz; groundwater

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2757

Introduced by

Representatives
Griffin: Blackman

AN
ACT

amending section 45-553, Arizona
Revised Statutes; RELATING to the groundwater code.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

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

Section 1. Section 45-553, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
45-553.

Transportation of groundwater withdrawn in Butler Valley
groundwater

A.
the La Paz county board of
supervisors may withdraw
groundwater
may be withdrawn

from land
owned by this state or by a political subdivision of
this state

that La Paz county owns or leases
in
the Butler Valley groundwater basin for transportation
to an
initial active management area
outside of the Butler
Valley groundwater basin, subject to either of the following conditions:

1. The groundwater is used solely by
the county or by a political subdivision or municipal provider located within
the county for the county's, political subdivision's or municipal provider's
own use.

2. The groundwater is sold or leased
to a multi-county water conservation district established pursuant to
title 48, chapter 22 for use only by the multi-county water conservation
district to meet the district's replenishment obligations
.

B. Title to land in the Butler Valley groundwater
basin that is owned by this state or a political subdivision of this state and
from which groundwater is withdrawn for transportation to an initial active
management area
for the purposes of this section
may be
sold, exchanged or otherwise conveyed only to
this state or to
another political subdivision of this state
La Paz county
.

END_STATUTE