Arizona § 45-495 - Withdrawals and transportations by irrigation districts within subsequent active management areas

§ 45-495. Withdrawals and transportations by irrigation districts within subsequent active management areas

In a subsequent active management area established pursuant to section 45-412:

1. An irrigation district existing and engaged in the withdrawal, delivery and distribution of groundwater as of the date of the designation of the active management area shall have the right, subject to section 45-496:

(a) To withdraw and transport groundwater within its service area for the benefit of landowners within its service area, and the landowners are entitled to use the groundwater delivered, provided claims of landowners to irrigation grandfathered rights or type 1 or 2 non-irrigation grandfathered rights shall be subject to the provisions of article 5 of this chapter.

(b) If legally withdrawing and transporting groundwater from outside its service area for use within its service area as of the date of designation of the active management area, to continue to withdraw and transport the amount of groundwater legally being withdrawn as of the date of the designation of the active management area.

2. An irrigation district which was not engaged in the withdrawal, delivery and distribution of groundwater as of the date of the designation of the active management area shall be limited to the right, subject to section 45-496, to:

(a) Contract for surface water and deliver and distribute such water within its service area for irrigation purposes.

(b) Contract to purchase, deliver and distribute effluent within its service area for irrigation purposes.

(c) Withdraw, deliver and distribute within its service area the amount of groundwater allowed by the current irrigation water duty of each member farm multiplied by the water duty acres in that farm, less any portion of such amount withdrawn by individual members.

(d) Continue but not expand any non-irrigation water service being lawfully provided as of the date of the designation of the active management area, except as provided in section 45-497, subsection B.