Read the full stored bill text
SB1559 - 572R - S Ver
Senate Engrossed
rural groundwater
management; work groups
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SENATE BILL 1559
AN
ACT
amending section 41-6054, Arizona
Revised Statutes; Amending title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona Revised
Statutes, by adding section 45-580.01; RELATING to groundwater
management.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 41-6054, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
41-6054.
Powers of district
A. This state recognizes the special expertise of
the districts in the fields of land, soil, water and natural resources
management within the boundaries of the district.� A district is empowered to:
1. Conduct surveys, investigations and research
relating to the character of the soil, soil erosion prevention within a farm or
ranch, methods of cultivation, farm and range practices, seeding, eradicating
noxious growths and invasive vegetation and any other measures that will aid
farm and range operations, disseminate information and educate landowners
pertaining thereto, and carry on research programs with or without the
cooperation of this state or its agencies or the United States or its agencies.
2. Create and administer a soil health program that
promotes implementation of soil health practices, research projects,
demonstration projects, educational projects or other activities appropriate to
promote the continuing capacity for soil to function as a vital living
biological system that sustains plants, animals and humans, increased soil
organic matter, improved soil structure, water-holding and nutrient-holding
capacity or nutrient cycling.
3. Conduct demonstration projects within the
district on lands owned or controlled by the state or any of its agencies with
the consent and cooperation of the agency having jurisdiction of the land, and
on any other lands within the district on obtaining the consent of the
landowner or the necessary rights or interests in the land, in order to
demonstrate by example the means, methods and measures by which water, soil and
soil resources may be conserved and soil erosion and soil washing may be
prevented and controlled.
4. Cooperate, coordinate and enter into agreements
with a landowner, an operator or any agency or subdivision of the state or
federal government to carry on programs of watershed improvement, soil erosion
prevention, methods of cultivation, cropping practices, land leveling and
improvement on agricultural lands, and programs limited to methods of proper
range land use, reseeding and eradicating noxious growth and invasive
vegetation on grazing lands, all within the limits of an individual farm or
ranch and subject to the conditions the supervisors deem necessary.
5. Acquire, by purchase, exchange, lease or
otherwise, any property, real or personal, or rights or interest in any
property, maintain, administer and improve any properties acquired, receive
income from any property or right or interest in property and expend it in
carrying out the purposes of this chapter, and sell, lease or otherwise dispose
of any property or interest in property in furtherance of the purposes of this
chapter.
6. Make available, on the terms it prescribes to
landowners within the district, agricultural and engineering machinery and
equipment, fertilizer, seed and other material or equipment as will assist the
landowners to carry on operations on their lands for the purposes and programs
authorized by this chapter.
7. Develop, publish and bring to the attention of
landowners within the district comprehensive plans for conserving soil and
water resources within the district that specify in such detail as may be
feasible the acts, procedures, performances and avoidances necessary or
desirable to effect the plans.
8. Apply for, receive and spend monies from the
Arizona water protection fund pursuant to title 45, chapter 12 to be used in
individual districts or in cooperation with other districts, persons, cities,
towns, counties, special districts and Indian communities for projects
consistent with title 45, chapter 12.
9. Employ agents, engineers, attorneys or other
employees not readily available from existing state agencies.
10. Sue and be sued in the name of the district,
have a seal, which shall be judicially noticed, have perpetual succession
unless terminated as provided in this chapter, make and execute contracts and
other instruments necessary or convenient to exercise its powers and make,
amend and repeal rules not inconsistent with this chapter to effect its
purposes and powers.
11. Apply for grants and accept donations, gifts and
contributions in monies, services, materials or otherwise, and use or expend
them in carrying on its operations.
12. Organize and establish an education center to
increase the knowledge of natural resources in this state through the following
methods:
(a) Offering technical guidance and training to
agricultural producers.
(b) Publishing scholarly materials.
(c) Providing educational and training
opportunities, both inside and outside of the district.
(d) Conducting or sponsoring scientific studies that
affect natural resources in this state.
(e) Increasing public awareness of water
conservation statewide, including water conservation methods and best
management practices.
(f) Increasing public awareness of soil health
practices statewide.
13. Apply for, receive and spend monies from the
water infrastructure finance authority of Arizona pursuant to title 49, chapter
8 to be used in individual districts or in cooperation with other districts and
cities, towns, counties, special districts, Indian communities and other
persons for projects consistent with title 49, chapter 8.
14. Conduct surveys, investigations
and research relating to the health of groundwater in the district's
groundwater basin.
15. Assist rural groundwater
management work groups established pursuant to section 45-580.01 as
follows:
(
a
) If there is
more than one district in each rural groundwater management work group, the
districts shall coordinate their support of the rural groundwater management
work group.
(
b
) Hold at
least one joint meeting with the members of the rural groundwater management
work group. If there are multiple districts that share jurisdiction with a
rural groundwater management group, the districts may hold a joint meeting.
(
c
) On or
before December 31 of each year, the districts shall submit a report to the
department of water resources of their findings and recommendations of their
collaboration with rural groundwater management work groups.
B. A provision of law with respect to acquiring,
operating or disposing of property by other public bodies is not applicable to
a district organized under this chapter unless specifically stated therein.
C. After the formation of any district under this
chapter, all participation thereunder shall be voluntary, notwithstanding any
provision of this chapter to the contrary.
D. A district may send to the board and the Arizona
water protection fund commission established by title 45, chapter 12 written
recommendations for geographic areas to be emphasized, issues of concern and
measures to implement title 45, chapter 12. A district that sends
written recommendations to the commission shall request information from at
least the following:
1. The director of the department of water resources
and the board.
2. The federal and state fish, wildlife, recreation
and natural resource agencies.
3. County and municipal entities.
4. The public.
E. The district shall develop procedures to ensure
adequate participation in the public involvement process prescribed by
subsection D of this section.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Title 45, chapter 2, article 9, Arizona
Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 45-580.01, to read:
START_STATUTE
45-580.01.
Rural groundwater management work groups; members; consolidated
report
A. A rural groundwater management
work group shall be established in each groundwater basin.� The natural
resource conservation district board and soil and water conservation district
that are located in each groundwater basin shall appoint work group members.�
each work group shall contain affected parties and local experts, including
agricultural producers.
B. If a groundwater basin contains
one or more natural resource conservation districts or soil and water
conservation districts, the districts shall cooperate to ensure that the rural
groundwater management work group contains a representative sample of each
district consistent with the percentage of the groundwater basin that is
located in each district.
C. Rural groundwater management work
group members serve without compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of
expenses pursuant to title 38, chapter 4, article 2.
D. The department shall provide each
rural groundwater management work group with administrative support as
requested by the work group.
E. On or before december 31 of each
year, each rural groundwater management work group shall submit a report of its
findings and recommendations for changes in rural groundwater management to the
department.� The department shall consolidate the reports and provide the
consolidated report to the governor, the president of the senate and the
speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of the
consolidated report to the secretary of state.
END_STATUTE