ADWR statement on Reclamation’s Final Environmental Impact Statement for Future Colorado River Operations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 31, 2026
For many months it has been clear that the direction of Colorado River negotiations has been an exercise in lowering expectations, particularly for a long-term, seven-state agreement on operating this vital river system. It was that increasingly bleak scenario that prompted the three Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada to step forward with our proposal to help stabilize Lake Powell and Lake Mead with more than three million acre-feet of water savings over a two-year period.
While the FEIS just released by the Department of the Interior does nothing to elevate expectations around a coherent seven-state plan for shared sacrifice, it includes an analysis that allows the adoption of many of the core elements of the Lower Basin proposal. We will continue to work with the federal government, as well as with our tribal, agricultural and municipal partners in Arizona, and the other Colorado River Basin states, to make river operations work for the betterment of all.
The FEIS contains a framework that includes sideboards that are unacceptable for the state of Arizona including reductions in the Lower Basin of up to 3 million acre-feet per year, in priority. Such reductions would devastate Arizona’s water users and its economy. The FEIS framework also fails to include any Upper Basin reductions or sufficient use of water stored in the Upper Initial Units (reservoirs above Lake Powell).
A forthcoming Record of Decision and operating guidelines will provide the details for operations through 2028 and a framework for an additional eight years of operations. We hope to see those documents provide for operations in 2027 and 2028 consistent with the May 1 Lower Basin Proposal, including sharing reductions among the three Lower Basin states (Arizona, California, and Nevada) of 1.25 million acre-feet in each year, as well as an additional commitment of 700,000 acre-feet of system conservation water.
ADWR will continue to work to complete the agreements necessary to implement the Lower Basin Proposal while preserving Arizona’s legal rights.
We will provide additional statements and opportunities for interviews when Interior releases the Record of Decision and the operating guidelines.
Southwest Water Leaders Sign MOU to Explore Framework for Interstate Exchanges
Ceremony highlights commitment to explore future water supply agreements across state lines
June 3, 2026 – Today, the Bureau of Reclamation and agencies in California, Nevada and Arizona signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant to jointly explore new water supply solutions for the Colorado River Basin.
The MOU aims to improve long-term water management in the Colorado River Basin by advancing discussions to develop a framework that could allow for interstate water exchanges. The goal is to discuss a pathway that would allow agencies to partner across state borders on desalination, recycled water and other water supply projects that would benefit multiple states.
The MOU was signed by the Bureau of Reclamation, San Diego County Water Authority, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, Central Arizona Project and Salt River Project.
Interstate exchanges can be an important next step in successfully managing limited Colorado River supplies in the future by allowing shared financing of new supply projects that, through operational flexibility, could provide water to participating agencies when they need it most – taking advantage of variations in local hydrology across the Basin and other factors. Future water exchanges would use existing infrastructure and avoid costly new infrastructure without changing or reallocating existing rights or obligating parties to projects.
Long-term drought has reduced Colorado River system water storage to about 36% of capacity, and the combination of the lowest snowpack on record and record-breaking heat has further intensified drought conditions. These compounding factors create elevated risks to essential water and power infrastructure that supply water to more than 43 million people, underscoring the need for near-term actions to balance supply and demand.
What the signatories said:
“Next-generation strategies in the face of climate volatility must include interstate partnerships that deliver water where it’s needed most. We appreciate the collaboration with the Bureau of Reclamation and all the other agencies involved. New ideas are challenging to implement, but it’s in everyone’s best interest to make this work.” – Dan Denham, General Manager, San Diego County Water Authority
“Across the Colorado River Basin, water users are developing new supply projects to reduce reliance on the river. But some of the larger projects require significant investment. The MOU signed today demonstrates our commitment to discussing how to develop flexible partnerships across borders to pool funding, advance projects, and allow water to be shared when and where it is needed most.” – Shivaji Deshmukh, General Manager, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
“As Colorado River conditions grow more challenging, regional partnerships like this are an essential tool to help ensure sustainable water supplies. This agreement allows us to explore forward-thinking, strategic investments that will strengthen water resilience in Southern Nevada and across the Lower Basin.” – John Entsminger, General Manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority
“This is an important step in addressing the goal of augmenting the water supplies of the Colorado River by creating a mechanism to deliver those supplies through an exchange using existing infrastructure. It represents the kind of innovation that Arizona and its Lower Basin partners believe is needed from all the Colorado River states to help stabilize the system in the long term.” – Tom Buschatzke, Director, Arizona Department of Water Resources
“This MOU is important because we are agreeing to discuss innovative ways to help each other and secure our future water supplies. When you have good partners, you can find collaborative opportunities that benefit all.” – Brenda Burman, General Manager, Central Arizona Project
“This agreement demonstrates the Lower Basin states’ commitment to work together to explore ways to supplement our water supplies as we continue to experience Colorado River shortages. SRP supports collaborative and strategic options and projects to develop and deliver resilient and reliable water for all of Central Arizona.” – Leslie Meyers, Salt River Project Associate General Manager and Chief Water Resources Executive
For more information, contact:
Jordan Beane, San Diego County Water Authority, (858) 221-3975| jbeane@sdcwa.org
Rebecca Kimitch, Metropolitan Water District, (202) 821-5253 | rkimitch@mwdh2o.com
Bronson Mack, Southern Nevada Water Authority, (702) 249-5518 | bronson.mack@snwa.com
Doug MacEachern, Arizona Department of Water Resources, (602) 510-0104 | dmaceachern@azwater.gov
DeEtte Person, Central Arizona Project, (480) 620-7685 | dperson@cap-az.com
The San Diego County Water Authority sustains a $267 billion regional economy and the quality of life for 3.3 million residents through a multi-decade water supply diversification plan, major infrastructure investments and forward-thinking policies that promote fiscal and environmental responsibility. A public agency created in 1944, the Water Authority delivers wholesale water supplies to 22 retail water providers, including cities, special districts and a military base.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that together with its 26 member agencies provide water for 19 million people in six counties. Metropolitan imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies and helps its members develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage, and other resource management programs.
The Southern Nevada Water Authority is a not-for-profit regional entity that manages water conservation, water quality and water resource issues for Southern Nevada. Its members include: the Big Bend Water District (Laughlin); the cities of Boulder City, Henderson, Las Vegas and North Las Vegas; the Clark County Water Reclamation District; and the Las Vegas Valley Water District.
The Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources is the state’s lead negotiator in matters involving the Colorado River. In addition, ADWR is Arizona’s regulatory agency for monitoring and protecting groundwater resources throughout the state, primarily in its Active Management Areas. Its mission is to promote the health, safety and economic welfare of the public by protecting, conserving and enhancing Arizona’s water supplies in a bold, equitable and innovative manner.
CAP is a 336-mile system of aqueducts, tunnels, pumping plants and pipelines that supplies Colorado River water to the region where 80% of Arizona’s population resides, and delivers more tribal water than any other organization in the United States. CAP carries water from Lake Havasu to the southern boundary of the San Xavier Indian Reservation southwest of Tucson, supplying water to approximately 50 subcontractors in Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties.
SRP is a community-based, not-for-profit public power utility and the largest electricity provider in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, serving about 1.1 million customers. SRP provides water to about 2.5 million Valley residents, delivering more than 260 billion gallons of water (800,000 acre-feet) each year, and manages a 13,000-square-mile watershed that includes an extensive system of reservoirs, wells, irrigation laterals, and 131 miles of canals.
ARIZONA WATER PROTECTION FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 GRANT CYCLE
PHOENIX- The Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) supports projects that develop or implement on- the-ground measures that directly maintain, enhance and restore Arizona’s river and riparian resources.
The AWPF Commission will be accepting applications for the Fiscal Year 2027 grant cycle and will award grants under three categories: capital projects, research, and water conservation. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, August 14, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Arizona time. Applications will only be accepted electronically via the Euna/eCivis Grants Management System. The Euna/eCivis grant application portal link, grant cycle schedule, grant application manual, and electronic forms are available on the AWPF website at https://www.azwpf.gov/grant-information/fy-2027-grant-cycle.
AWPF staff will be hosting one grant application workshop:
Location: Online Webinar*
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Time: 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Webinar Information:
Link:https://adwr.info/4tK4Gv3 Webinar Number (Access Code): 2531 632 8014 Webinar Password: 9VGq7PMaNG5 Join by Phone: 1-415-655-0001 US Toll (Access Code is same as above)
* Staff will be providing the grant application workshop via online webinar only, but a recording will also be available on the AWPF website at https://www.azwpf.gov/grant-information/fy-2027-grant-cycle within three business days after the workshop. Please contact the Arizona Water Protection Fund at 602-771-8528 or rteran@azwater.gov with any questions.
The Arizona Legislature established the AWPF in 1994 (A.R.S. § 45-2101, et seq.). The Arizona Department of Water Resources provides administrative, technical, and legal support to the AWPF Commission. The legislation establishing the AWPF provides that it is the declared policy of the Legislature to provide for a coordinated effort between state funding and locally led solutions for the restoration and conservation of the water resources of the state. A.R.S. § 45-2101(A). The primary purpose of the AWPF is to provide monies through a competitive public grant process for implementation of measures to protect water of sufficient quality and quantity to maintain, enhance, and restore rivers and streams and associated riparian resources consistent with existing water law and water rights, and measures to increase water availability. A.R.S. § 45-2101(B).
For additional information, please contact Reuben Teran at rteran@azwater.gov.
Arizona Water Awareness Festival Returns This Saturday
The event brings together agencies and partners to showcase water conservation and protection
PHOENIX — Families looking for some fun activities this weekend can head to Steele Indian School Park for the Arizona Water Awareness Month Festival, a free, interactive event where kids and adults can explore water through hands-on activities, games, and immersive experiences.
Hosted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the festival brings together more than 20 organizations for a day of learning, exploration, and family-friendly fun.
WHAT: Arizona Water Awareness Month (WAM) Festival
WHEN: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Steele Indian School Park – 300 E Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85012
COST: Free and open to the public
SPEAKERS:
Ben Bryce, ADWR Special Advisor to the Director
Ben Bryce, ADWR Special Advisor to the Director
Randall Matas, ADEQ Water Quality Division Deputy Director
AGENDA:
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Manic Monkeys Performance
10:30 AM – 11:00 AM – Event Speakers
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM – The Frequency Principle Performance
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – Mean Gene & Kid Keith
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM – City of Phoenix Public Library Children’s Storytime
WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Free outdoor event for all ages
Hands-on activities and games for kids
Virtual reality tour of a water treatment facility
Interactive booths, demonstrations, and giveaways
Gourmet food trucks and eateries
Live acoustic sessions from local artists
A fun way to spend time outside and learn about Arizona’s most precious resource
WHAT YOU’LL SEE & DO:
Ride an energy-generating bike and see how much power it takes to move water
Step inside a virtual reality tour of a water treatment facility
Try hands-on water science activities
Watch live water quality monitoring demonstrations
Explore exhibits on rivers, wildlife, and water conservation
Visit dozens of interactive booths from across Arizona
WHY IT MATTERS:
Water plays a role in nearly every part of life in Arizona—from what we drink and eat to how we enjoy the outdoors. This event gives families a chance to learn where their water comes from, how it’s treated, and how it’s protected across the state.
ADWR works to conserve and manage Arizona’s water supply, while ADEQ ensures that water is safe to drink and protects the quality of rivers and lakes.
PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE:
The festival features more than 20 organizations, including Arizona State University Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona Project WET, City of Phoenix, Salt River Project, Central Arizona Project, Maricopa County Flood Control District, EPCOR Water USA, Arizona Water Company, Sierra Club, YMCA, and others. The festival also will feature live entertainment provided by Mean Gene & Kid Keith, Manic Monkeys, and the Frequency Principle. Local food will be provided by JT’s Curry Wagon, Cones & Shaved Ice, Cool Vybz Jamaican Restaurant and Baked Chemistry.
CONTACTS: ADWR Public Information Officer 602-771-8079 smevans@azwater.gov
ADEQ Public Information Officer 480-670-0568 pio@azdeq.gov
Arizona Water Awareness Festival Returns Saturday, April 11
The event brings together agencies and partners to showcase water conservation and protection
PHOENIX — Families looking for some fun activities this weekend can head to Steele Indian School Park for the Arizona Water Awareness Month Festival, a free, interactive event where kids and adults can explore water through hands-on activities, games, and immersive experiences.
Hosted by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), the festival brings together more than 20 organizations for a day of learning, exploration, and family-friendly fun.
WHAT: Arizona Water Awareness Month (WAM) Festival
WHEN: Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
WHERE: Steele Indian School Park – 300 E Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85012
COST: Free and open to the public
WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Free outdoor event for all ages
Hands-on activities and games for kids
Virtual reality tour of a water treatment facility
Interactive booths, demonstrations, and giveaways
Gourmet food trucks and eateries
Live acoustic sessions from local artists
A fun way to spend time outside and learn about Arizona’s most precious resource
WHAT YOU’LL SEE & DO:
Ride an energy-generating bike and see how much power it takes to move water
Step inside a virtual reality tour of a water treatment facility
Try hands-on water science activities
Watch live water quality monitoring demonstrations
Explore exhibits on rivers, wildlife, and water conservation
Visit dozens of interactive booths from across Arizona
WHY IT MATTERS:
Water plays a role in nearly every part of life in Arizona—from what we drink and eat to how we enjoy the outdoors. This event gives families a chance to learn where their water comes from, how it’s treated, and how it’s protected across the state.
ADWR works to conserve and manage Arizona’s water supply, while ADEQ ensures that water is safe to drink and protects the quality of rivers and lakes.
PARTICIPANTS WILL INCLUDE:
The festival features more than 20 organizations, including Arizona State University Kyl Center for Water Policy, Arizona Project WET, City of Phoenix, Salt River Project, Central Arizona Project, Maricopa County Flood Control District, EPCOR Water USA, Arizona Water Company, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, Sierra Club, YMCA, and others. The festival also will feature live entertainment provided by Mean Gene & Kid Keith, Manic Monkeys, and the Frequency Principle. Local food will be provided by JT’s Curry Wagon, Cones & Shaved Ice, Cool Vybz Jamaican Restaurant and Baked Chemistry.
CONTACTS: ADWR Public Information Officer 602-771-8079 smevans@azwater.gov
ADEQ Public Information Officer 480-670-0568 pio@azdeq.gov
DESPITE NOT ACHIEVING A SEVEN-STATE AGREEMENT IN TIME, ADWR VOWS TO CONTINUE PROTECTING STATE’S COLORADO RIVER RESOURCES
Statement from ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke, Arizona’s Colorado River negotiator:
Phoenix, AZ — Throughout the negotiations of the post-2026 operating guidelines for the Colorado River, Arizona and its Lower Basin partners have offered numerous, good-faith compromises to the representatives of the Upper Basin states. In that time, virtually all of them have been rejected.
We began these discussions with a spirit of collaboration. Two years ago, Arizona, California and Nevada offered to help stabilize the system and address evaporation and system losses. That was rejected as too little, too late. In all, representatives of the Lower Basin states have offered to respond to river shortages with substantial cuts to their Colorado River allocations: 27 percent for Arizona, 17 percent for Nevada and 10 percent for California. Not enough for the other states.
Last summer, we proposed a revolutionary and innovative method of dividing the river’s bounty holistically based on a three-year rolling average of the “natural flows” in the river. That proposal, too, fell on deaf ears in the Upper Basin.
In all this time, Arizona, California and Nevada have received one consistent message from our counterparts in the Upper Basin – there will be no firm commitment to reduce uses in the Upper Basin, no matter how dire the conditions of the river may be. As of today, central Arizona farmers have fallowed nearly half of their land – over 100,000 acres – due to cuts in the state’s Colorado River deliveries.
We have offered to do more. But we simply cannot take on the task of saving this precious river system on our own.
Arizona remains committed to compromise and accommodation. The negotiations may be at an unfortunate stalemate, but they are not at an end – not, at least, if our river partners in the Upper Basin accept the reality that Arizona cannot be asked to sacrifice its water security while receiving virtually nothing in return.
Through it all, these difficult negotiations still reduce to a simple truth: All of those who benefit from the Colorado River’s bounty must share in the responsibility to preserve the river’s health.
GOVERNOR’S EXECUTIVE BUDGET PROPOSAL INCLUDES FUNDING FOR KEY ADWR INITIATIVES
Funding to support Arizona’s on-going efforts to protect the State from Colorado River supply reductions
Phoenix, AZ — Today, Governor Hobbs released her FY 2027 Executive Budget, which funds critical ADWR programs and efforts, including water conservation, consumptive use reductions, infrastructure upgrades, supply augmentation, and other shortage mitigation efforts.
It is paramount that Arizona protects its water users and mitigates the adverse effects of anticipated reductions across the basin. To support Arizona’s water users, the initiatives funded in the budget proposal include:
$30 million one-time deposit into the newly created Colorado River Protection Fund to aid conservation efforts and continue building a sustainable and growing economy.
Permanent funding into the Colorado River Protection Fund through a water usage fee assessed on data centers by the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
“Once again, Arizona is leading the way in protecting the Colorado River and at recognizing the drier future ahead and the challenges that drier future presents to all the Colorado River states,” said ADWR Director Tom Buschatzke.
“These resources proposed by Governor Hobbs represent Arizona’s commitment to protecting the river, as well as the Arizona water users and citizens who depend upon it.”
“I hope that this financial commitment by the Governor will send a message to our Colorado River partner states, as well as the federal government, that Arizona is prepared once again to make necessary sacrifices to protect the system, just as we were in 2019 with the Drought Contingency Plan.”
The current guidelines for the operation and management of the Colorado River system expire at the end of calendar year 2026. Arizona and the six other Basin States are negotiating the post-2026 guidelines with the federal Bureau of Reclamation in order to develop a framework that more sustainably manages the Colorado River system.
The Director of ADWR serves as Arizona’s lead negotiator and is charged with protecting the State’s 2.8 million acre-feet entitlement of Colorado River water, representing as much as 40 percent of the State’s water supply.
While Arizona is committed to collaboration and cooperation with its Basin States partners, it is possible that new guidelines or the absence of a negotiated outcome could result in litigation among the Basin States.
Arizona continues to pursue good-faith negotiations that hopefully will result in a consensus outcome for more sustainable Colorado River management. At the same time, this appropriation ensures that ADWR has the resources to defend Arizona’s interests and water users who depend on the State’s precious Colorado River entitlement.
ADWR DIRECTOR FINDS CAUSE FOR RANEGRAS PLAIN GROUNDWATER BASIN TO BECOME ARIZONA’S 8TH ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA
PHOENIX – The Director of Arizona Department of Water Resources, Tom Buschatzke, on Friday, January 9, issued his Findings, Decision and Order to designate the Ranegras Plain Groundwater Basin as a subsequent Active Management Area (AMA).
The Department first identified the Ranegras Plain Groundwater Basin as a basin experiencing significant groundwater level declines at the Governor’s Water Policy Council (GWPC) Rural Groundwater Management Committee meeting held on August 17, 2023.
ADWR held an informational public meeting on October 15, 2025, where ADWR staff presented hydrologic and regulatory information, and answered questions from residents and stakeholders. The Department later released a technical memorandum describing the hydrologic information on file regarding the basin and then held a statutorily-required formal hearing, on December 18, 2025.
As part of the formal hearing, the Department received over 400 oral and written comments. The vast majority supported designating the Ranegras Plain AMA.
“The future of residents and businesses depends upon protecting the finite groundwater resources in the Ranegras Plain basin. This is a critical step in achieving that outcome,” said Director Buschatzke.
Water users in the Ranegras Plain Basin rely on groundwater as the sole source for their agricultural, industrial, commercial, and residential water uses.
Groundwater pumping in the basin has increased significantly since 2015, with annual withdrawals now exceeding inflows by more than 900 percent. As a result of the substantial overdraft on the aquifer, groundwater level declines of over 200 feet have been observed since the 1980s. Those pronounced declines have led to significant land subsidence in the basin, the rate of which has been increasing year over year.
One well showed a decline of 242 feet over the last 40 years. These declines and associated subsidence jeopardize wells and groundwater storage in the Basin.
AMAs institute mandatory metering/measurement and reporting requirements for non-exempt groundwater use. Reliable water use data benefits all water users in the basin, improving decision-making and water management, and encouraging transparency. AMAs formalize and quantify groundwater water rights and withdrawal authorities, giving groundwater users certainty and security.
AMAs are required to institute a Management Goal and Management Plans for the basin, developed and adopted with local input. Management Plans come with mandatory conservation requirements and other measures to implement the Goal.
The Department will send additional information to stakeholders and residents of the basin over the coming weeks.
_
For further information, contact:
ADWR: Shauna Evans, Public Information Officer | 602-771-8079 | smevans@azwater.gov
PHOENIX- Beginning the week of January 12th, 2026, and continuing for several months, Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) field services staff will be making an extensive effort to measure water levels in wells in the Willcox, Douglas, San Bernardino Valley and San Simon Basins. ADWR staff will attempt to measure water levels at hundreds of wells in these groundwater basins. This survey of wells – or “basin sweep,” as it is known — will be the first such basin survey of the area since 2021.
The data collected will be analyzed and used to obtain a comprehensive overview of the groundwater conditions and used to support scientific and water management planning efforts. Data collected will be used for several purposes, including:
Analysis of water-level trends
Groundwater modeling
Water-level change maps
Hydrologic reports
Water resource planning and management
The general area covered by this basin sweep is the southeastern portion of the state and extends from the U.S. – Mexico border to north of Willcox, Bowie and San Simon.
For more information regarding this matter, please contact Public Information Officer Shauna Evans at smevans@azwater.gov or (602) 771-8079.
Details about the nature of basin sweeps and groundwater modeling can be found here. If you would like to volunteer your well for participation in this groundwater survey please contact the Hydrology Division at (602) 771-8535.
NOTICE OFPUBLIC HEARING AND ARIZONA WATER PROTECTION FUND GRANT APPLICATION GUIDELINES REQUEST FOR COMMENTS
PHOENIX – The Arizona Water Protection Fund (AWPF) is a competitive state grant program that provides funding to interested parties for maintaining, enhancing, and restoring river and riparian resources throughout Arizona, including projects that benefit fish and wildlife that are dependent on these important resources. The distribution of grant funds from the AWPF is authorized pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-2101 et seq. and is overseen by the Arizona Water Protection Fund Commission (Commission). The program is administered through the Arizona Department of Water Resources.
Pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-2105 et seq. the Commission is required to develop guidelines for applicants for funding, and is seeking input from interested landowners, state and federal agencies, Tribal entities, local government entities, non-profit organizations, and the public.
Specifically, the Commission is requesting comments related to:
Current grant application structure and processes, and suggestions on streamlining and/or simplifying the grant application;
Geographic areas in the state where protection and restoration should be prioritized (e.g., particular watersheds or streams; feature categories such as stream headwaters; etc.);
Issues of concern that the AWPF should focus on across the state or in specific areas; and
Types of measures to address the issues of concerns identified.
The most recent version of the AWPF grant application may reviewed online at https://www.azwpf.gov/ or in person at the Arizona Department of Water Resources office (address listed below).
A public hearing to receive comments, with a virtual attendance option, will be held on Tuesday, February 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the following location:
Arizona Department of Water Resources
Thunder River Conference Room
1110 W. Washington Street, Suite #310
Phoenix, AZ 85007
Cisco Webex Application Guidelines Hearing Information
Any person may appear at the public hearing, either in person or by representative, and submit oral or written comments. Any person attending via webinar may present oral comments. Persons presenting comments at the hearing or via webinar may be subject to a time limit to ensure all who wish to speak receive an opportunity to do so. If, because of a disability, you need a reasonable accommodation to participate equally at this public hearing, contact Lizette Fuentes at 602-771-8472 or lfuentes@azwater.gov. Please make requests as soon as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.
Comments not submitted at the public hearing may be submitted during the 45-day public comment period, which begins Tuesday, January 13, 2026 and ends Friday, February 27, 2026 at 5 p.m. Written public comments must be received no later than 5 p.m., on February 27, 2026. Written comments can be hand-delivered, or sent via email or fax. If mailed, written comments must be postmarked no later than February 27, 2026. Please send written comments electronically or in writing to:
MAILING ADDRESS
PHYSICAL ADDRESS
Arizona Department of Water Resources Arizona Water Protection Fund Attn: Reuben Teran 1802 W Jackson St. Box #79 Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Arizona Department of Water Resources Arizona Water Protection Fund Attn: Reuben Teran 1110 West Washington, Suite 310 Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Arizona Water News 