Source: http://www.azwater.gov/azdwr/watermanagement/History/History_of_Water_Management_in_Arizona7.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 05:04:27+00:00

Document:
1863 Arizona Territory Established 1864 Howell Code 1877 Desert Land Act 1888 Clo v. Wing 1902 National Reclamation Act 1904 Howard v. Perrin 1906 Gould v. Maricopa Canal Company 1908 Winters v. United States 1910 Arizona Constitution is adopted 1911 Theodore Roosevelt Dam completed 1912 Arizona Statehood 1918 McKenzie v. Moore 1919 Public Water Code is adopted 1922 Colorado River Compact 1926 Pima Farms Company v. Proctor 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act 1931 Maricopa Co. Municipal Water Conservation District v. Southwest Cotton Co. 1935 Completion of Hoover Dam 1938 First Groundwater Study Group 1944 Mexican Water Treaty is signed.
The first Arizona Territorial Legislature adopts the Howell Code, which establishes the doctrine of prior appropriation for surface water � "First in Time, First in Right."
This Act, signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, recognizes that a key component to Western growth and development is constructing a system of irrigation works for the storage, diversion and development of water. The Act provides funding for irrigation projects in the Western states and results in the creation of the U.S. Reclamation Service (later the Bureau of Reclamation). The Act provides that "the right of the use of water acquired under the provision of this Act shall be appurtenant to the land irrigated, and beneficial use shall be the basis, the measure, and the limit of the right."
The Arizona Constitution is adopted by delegates to the Constitutional Convention. It becomes effective in 1912 following ratification by voters of the State and approval by Congress and President Taft. Article XVII, � 1 states: "The common law doctrine of riparian water rights shall not obtain or be of any force or effect in the State." Article XVII, � 2 states: "All existing rights to the use of any of the waters in the State for all useful or beneficial purposes are hereby recognized and confirmed."
Enacted by the legislature on June 12, the Public Water Code establishes administrative procedures for obtaining a right to use appropriable water, including a permitting system. These procedures replace the prior practice of either merely putting the water to beneficial use or posting a notice at the point of diversion, recording a copy of the notice with the County Recorder, and then putting the water to beneficial use.
The Seven Basin States negotiate an interstate compact dividing the Colorado River Basin into an Upper and Lower River Basin and apportioning 7.5 MAF of Colorado River water per year to each basin. Arizona refuses to ratify the Compact (but signs it in 1944) because of concerns over how its tributary waters from the Salt and Gila Rivers will be counted in the apportionment. Article VII, inserted at the insistence of Herbert Hoover, the Colorado River Commission's federal chairman, states "Nothing in this compact shall be construed as affecting the obligations of the United States of America to Indian Tribes."
The Arizona Supreme Court holds that a junior appropriator of water from an underground stream flowing within defined channels may be enjoined from lowering the water levels in the senior appropriator's wells because under the doctrine of prior appropriation, a junior appropriator may not render ineffective the prior appropriator's means of diversion.
Passed by Congress on December 21, 1928, this Act authorizes construction of the Hoover Dam on the condition that the Colorado River Compact is ratified. The Act provides a mechanism for approval of the Colorado River Compact without Arizona's approval and authorized the apportionment of the Lower Basin's 7.5 million acre-feet (MAF) among the states of California (4.4 MAF), Arizona (2.8 MAF) and Nevada (0.3 MAF). The Act also designates the Secretary of the Interior as the sole contracting authority for Colorado River water use in the Lower Basin.
On September 30, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicates Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. The dam stores water for use by the Lower Division states, controls flooding, improves navigation, regulates the flow of the Colorado River and generates hydroelectricity. The reservoir created by the dam is Lake Mead.
The United States and Mexico sign a treaty providing for an annual allocation of 1.5 million acre-feet of Colorado River water to Mexico. The Treaty further provides for an increase in that volume, up to a total of 1.7 million acre-feet, if a surplus exists, and for a reduction in that volume "in the event of extraordinary drought or serious accident to the irrigation system in the United States �."
Holding Arizona to its claim that construction of the Central Arizona Project would reduce groundwater use instead of allowing for more groundwater use by agricultural users, the Bureau of Reclamation warns that the Central Arizona Project will not be approved without restrictions on groundwater use. In response, the legislature enacts a Groundwater Code, but the Code only requires the registration of wells throughout the State.
The Upper Colorado River Basin States enter into an interstate compact apportioning the waters of the Upper Basin of the Colorado River between Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. Arizona is included because Chinle Wash drains into the River above Lee Ferry. Arizona is apportioned 50,000 acre-feet per year of Upper Basin Colorado River water.
In response to criticism that the 1948 Groundwater Code allows groundwater pumping to continue at historic levels within Critical Groundwater Areas, the second Groundwater Study Commission is formed to draft a new groundwater bill. The legislature fails to pass any of the Commission's recommendations and the Commission is ultimately abolished.
The Arizona Supreme Court holds that percolating groundwater is not owned by the owner of the overlying land but instead is subject to prior appropriation. This ruling reverses nearly 50 years of common law that had stated that percolating groundwater was not subject to prior appropriation.
Passed by congress on April 22, 1956, this Act authorizes construction of the Glen Canyon Dam along with other facilities. The Act's purpose is to regulate the flow of the Colorado River, control floods, store water for use by the Upper Basin States consistent with the Colorado River Compact, and for the generation of hydroelectric power. The Act also creates the Upper Colorado River Basin Fund.
The United States Supreme Court upholds Congress' apportionment of the Lower Basin's share of mainstream waters of the Colorado River in the Boulder Canyon Project Act of 1928, with California receiving 4.4 MAF, Arizona 2.8 MAF and Nevada 0.3 MAF. In a major victory for Arizona, the Court holds that the waters apportioned to each state by the Act include only waters of the mainstream of the Colorado River, leaving to each state its own tributaries. The Court also holds that the Act gives the Secretary of the Interior broad discretion to determine how much water each state should receive during times of shortage, with some limitations. Finally, the Court holds that several Indian reservations near the Colorado River have reserved rights to water from the river in an amount sufficient to allow the irrigation of all practicably irrigable acreage on the reservations, and that other federal establishments, such as National Recreation Areas and National Forests, also have federal reserved water rights.
Construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River north of Page, Arizona is completed. The purpose of the dam is to regulate the flow of Colorado River, control floods, store water for use by the Upper Basin States consistent with the Colorado River Compact, and for the generation of hydroelectric power. The reservoir created by the dam is Lake Powell.
Passed by Congress on September 30, 1968, this Act authorizes the construction of the Central Arizona Project. The Act contains a provision that safeguards California's 4.4 MAF entitlement, stating that in times of shortage this full amount will be delivered before any water is provided for the CAP. The stated legislative purpose of the Act calls for "furnishing irrigation water and municipal water supplies to the water-deficient areas of Arizona and western New Mexico �"
Relying on a surface water statute that gives preference to domestic and municipal uses over agricultural uses, the Arizona Supreme Court states that it will modify the injunction issued in Jarvis v. State Land Department I to allow the City of Tucson to acquire cultivated lands within the Critical Groundwater Area outside the City, retire the lands from irrigation and transport to the City for municipal use an amount of groundwater equal to the "annual historical maximum use" on the lands. The court later holds that "annual historical maximum use" means the average of the annual maximum amount of groundwater consumptively used on the land for irrigation purposes.
As a result of negotiations between agricultural, mining and municipal interests following the FICO decision, the legislature amends the 1948 Groundwater Code to allow all existing groundwater transportations to continue and to allow new or increased transportations under certain conditions. In most cases, groundwater transportation is subject to payment of damages to injured landowners, and injury is conclusively presumed if groundwater is transported way from a Critical Groundwater Area. Cities, towns, private water companies and irrigation districts are allowed to transport groundwater within their service areas without payment of damages. A 25-member Groundwater Study Commission is established and charged with developing a new Groundwater Code to address groundwater transportation and reduce groundwater overdraft occurring in parts of the state.
President Carter announces that the Central Arizona Project is among several Federal projects whose funding will be cut, but later removes the CAP from this "hit list".
iwarns that the Central Arizona Project will not be funded unless the State passes a Groundwater Code.
Passed by the legislature on June 11, 1980 and signed into law by Governor Babbitt the next day, this Act implements the final recommendations of the Groundwater Study Commission. The Act establishes the Arizona Department of Water Resources to administer the provisions of the Act. Four Active Management Areas are created with management goals and requirements to address groundwater overdraft. Within Active Management Areas, irrigation of new agricultural land is prohibited, withdrawals of groundwater for new industrial uses require a permit, restrictions are imposed on drilling new large wells, and new subdivisions must demonstrate a 100-year assured water supply that is consistent with the Active Management Area's management goal. The Arizona Department of Water Resources is required to adopt a series of five Management Plans for each Active Management Area, including mandatory conservation requirements for persons withdrawing, distributing or using groundwater. Groundwater may be transported without payment of damages within the sub-basin of an Active Management Area or groundwater basin, and anywhere within an Active Management Area or groundwater basin that does not contain sub-basins. Groundwater may be transported between sub-basins of an AMA or groundwater basin and away from a groundwater basin subject to payment of damages to injured landowners. There is no presumption of injury associated with the transportation of groundwater.
informs Governor Babbitt that Arizona's enactment of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act will allow the Central Arizona Project to be funded.
The United States District Court holds that the provisions of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act restricting groundwater withdrawals from lands within Active Management Areas do not take property without due process of law. The court relies on the Arizona Supreme Court's holding in Town of Chino Valley v. City of Prescott that landowners have no property interest in the groundwater beneath their land prior to its capture and withdrawal. The court also upholds the legislature's designation of certain areas of the state as Active Management Areas.
begins deliveries of water to Central Arizona.
The Arizona legislature enacts legislation authorizing water exchanges. A person participating in a water exchange must have the right to use the water given in the exchange and may use the water received in the exchange only in the same manner in which the person has the right to use the water given in the exchange, but the person need not have a right to use the water received in the exchange. Water exchanges involving surface water, other than Colorado River water, require a permit from the Arizona Department of Water Resources. Most other water exchanges require the filing of a notice with the Department.
The legislature establishes the Water Protection Fund. The fund is administered by a commission which issues grants from the fund to water users for implementing projects to protect Arizona rivers and streams, including the use of excess CAP water for riparian enhancement.
The Arizona Department of Water Resources' rules establishing criteria for demonstrating an assured or adequate water supply become effective. The rules require that an applicant for a certificate or designation of assured water supply in an Active Management Area demonstrate that the use will be served primarily with renewable water supplies.
The Arizona Water Banking Authority is established as a mechanism for Arizona to fully utilize its CAP allotment. The Water Bank may annually purchase all or part of the state's unused CAP allotment and store it underground for times of shortage. The legislation also allows the Water Bank to store Colorado River water on behalf of agencies in Nevada and California.
The Secretary of the Interior adopts regulations providing for Offstream Storage of Colorado River Water and Development and Release of Intentionally Created Unused Apportionment in the Lower Division States, which enables interstate water banking in the Lower Colorado River Basin.
The Arizona Supreme Court rejects the �practicably irrigable acreage� standard as the exclusive standard for quantifying federal reserved water rights for Indian reservations. Instead, the court holds that an Indian reservation should be allocated the quantity of water necessary to achieve its purpose as a permanent homeland for the Indian tribe, which may include water for multiple present and future uses.
Through this Act, Congress approves an agreement between the United States and the State of Arizona for Central Arizona Project repayment obligations. The Act also settles the water rights claims of the Gila River Indian Community and the claims of the Tohono O'odham Nation for its San Xavier reservation near Tucson, and reallocates 67,300 acre-feet of Non-Indian Agricultural priority CAP water to the Secretary of the Interior for use in future Indian water rights settlements in Arizona.
The Bureau of Reclamation adopts guidelines that provide for coordinated management of Lake Mead and Lake Powell. Releases from Lake Powell are determined by conditions in both reservoirs. The Interim Guidelines incorporate, and in some cases modify, the Interim Surplus Guidelines, define shortage conditions in the Lower Basin, allow for the creation of Intentionally Created Surplus (ICS) through conservation and augmentation projects, and provide for delivery of ICS subject to forbearance by the Lower Basin Contractors. The Interim Guidelines will remain in effect until 2026.

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