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Water Resources: ARPA‑funded digitization to continue through 2026; one position reclassified to administrative law judge
Summary
The joint money subcommittees approved technical adjustments to continue ARPA‑funded water data projects through December 31, 2026, authorized one‑time general fund support for two positions after ARPA expires, and approved reclassifying a vacant engineering supervisor to an unclassified administrative law judge for water rights hearings.
The subcommittees considered two major items for the Division of Water Resources on April 30: continuation and closeout of ARPA‑funded projects to digitize water records and to update statewide water availability estimates, and a personnel reclassification to create an unclassified administrative law judge position.
Fiscal staff summarized the governor’s recommendations and follow‑up technical adjustments. The division received $6.4 million in ARPA funds for contracts with the Desert Research Institute and the U.S. Geological Survey to update water availability estimates and to digitize state water records. The agency expects to fully expend the ARPA funds by the federal deadline of December 31, 2026, but fiscal staff recommended technical adjustments to align ARPA revenue and expense authority with the projected expenditure schedule: $2,400,000 over the 2025–27 biennium for the water availability estimates project and $458,420 over the biennium to continue the records digitization project and fund two positions through December 31, 2026.
The subcommittees approved a general fund appropriation of $96,269 in FY2027 to continue two full‑time positions and associated operating costs after ARPA authority expires; the motion included direction that the general fund continuation be treated as one‑time funding for the biennium and that the agency request ongoing funding as an enhancement for the 2027–29 biennium. Chair Taylor moved the motion; it passed by voice vote.
Separately, the panel approved the reclassification of one vacant classified supervisor professional engineer position to an unclassified administrative law judge position with an estimated cost of $113,235 over the biennium. The agency said the reclassification would better serve evolving workloads in the water rights hearing section, allowing more hearings and legal recommendations to the state engineer in complex water rights matters. Decisions regarding unclassified salary levels will be determined later by the money committees when the 2025 pay bill is considered.
Ending: The subcommittees authorized technical adjustments to reflect ARPA timing, approved one‑time general fund support for two positions through FY2027 with direction to seek permanent funding next session, and reclassified a vacant engineering supervisor to an administrative law judge to meet hearing needs.
