Arizona Water Rights No Longer 'Use it or Lose it'

"A change in Arizona water law will let farmers and ranchers conserve water without worrying about losing their rights to it in the future," reports Ariana Brocious.

"A bill signed last week by Governor Doug Ducey allows for water users to enter into a voluntary conservation plan with the Arizona Department of Water Resources that keeps their water right protected. Users can conserve water for up to 10 years without losing their rights."

Previously state water rights were "use it or lose it," like most western states, according to Brocious. The change will provide an incentive for conservation measures, according to Kim Mitchell, senior water policy advisor with Western Resource Advocates, who is cited in the article.

Water is always a hot topic in Arizona. Here is more recent Planetizen coverage of various legislative efforts to change water laws in the state:

• Arizona Proposes Legislation to Protect Water After Trump Rollbacks to Clean Water Act (December 2020) 
• A Development Showdown Over Water in Rural Arizona (September 2020)
• Legislation Would Prevent Rural-to-Urban Water Transfers in Arizona (January 2020)