Mohave County urges fixes to rural groundwater bill, warns SB 1520 could leave other basins exposed

Mister Ponder, staff providing the county's legislative water update, told the Mohave County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 18 that the county should oppose Senate Bill 1520 in its current form because it covers only three basins and would not protect the rest of rural Arizona from outside groundwater speculators.

The county’s presentation reviewed multiple bills at the state Capitol this session and spelled out three consistent local priorities: seek rural groundwater legislation, protect Colorado River water, and preserve the state’s groundwater code. "Senate Bill 15 20, unfortunately, only addresses 3 basins," Ponder said, adding that the bill would limit conservation in a way that Mohave County would not practically qualify to exceed a modest reduction target.

Why it matters: supervisors and staff said Mohave County faces a growing inflow‑to‑outflow deficit in key basins and that narrowly targeted legislation could invite investment from out‑of‑state or international interests that would exploit basins not covered by SB 1520. The board discussed potential impacts on local agriculture, industrial users, and long‑term community stability.

Details from the briefing included: - SB 1520, as amended, would apply only to the Hualapai Valley, Gila Bend and Wilcox basins; staff said that limited scope risks replicating problems that have already developed in the Hualapai Valley. - Ponder and other speakers warned the bill’s governance design could permit up to 80% of local council seats to be filled by people who live outside the basin being regulated, and that the appointment process lacks a constraint preventing individuals from serving on multiple councils. - The county remains generally supportive of on‑farm efficiency grant programs and a separate legislative effort described by staff as a defense of the Colorado River Compact; the governor had proposed higher appropriations for some of those items.

Board reaction and next steps: supervisors agreed to register opposition to SB 1520 in its present language while offering to work with the bill sponsor and the legislative delegation to draft changes that would expand basin coverage, tighten local representation rules, and provide realistic conservation triggers that Mohave County basins could meet. Several supervisors also said they would continue direct outreach to state senators and representatives to seek amendments.

No formal vote on a resolution was recorded at the meeting; staff said they would keep the board updated as amendments or committee actions develop at the Capitol.