Still true: ‘Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting’

Yuma’s winter weather is certainly living up to its usual high standards, crispy cool nights and warm, wonderful days. The crops and the residents of our county are all enjoying this beautiful time of year. My only concern is that my citrus trees decide it is time to bloom and

I’ll have to worry about cold weather in March affecting the fruit set.

I read the regional paper on a daily basis and follow closely the various stories pertaining to water.

In January, as the state Legislature was preparing to meet, it was reported that water would again be a focus as lawmakers realize that the ‘drought contingency plan” adopted in 2019 is not a permanent and long-term solution. House Speaker Rusty Bowers wants to “augment” water supplies, which depends on finding those with water rights elsewhere willing to sell them.

At the same time there is discussion about restricting the transfer of water from one county to another, a great concern for rural lawmakers who fear developers and cities buying up groundwater rights and leaving communities with limited reserves for growth.

Speaking of developments, the town of Surprise in the west Phoenix area is proudly announcing the “scoring of a luxury home community.” Sterling Grove is expected to feature about 2,200 homes sprawled across nearly 800 acres, with the White Tank Mountains in the background. Beyond selling homes, a slate of planned amenities will elevate the community into a luxury category such as a Nicklaus planned golf course, country club, restaurants and a spa.

Another community is also going up in Surprise. Escalante bills itself as more family-oriented than luxury, although the amenities also include a golf course. The only thing missing from the article was where the water for these projects will come from to meet the state-mandated proof on a 100-year supply.

Arizona politics offers little hope for a fix for the ongoing water conflicts. Nearly 40 years ago, Arizona adopted a landmark law regulating groundwater in Phoenix, Tucson and populated mostly urban areas. The law left the rest of the state without rules limiting drilling or pumping. Outside of the active management areas, you can drill a well of any size and any place you want and pump as much as you want.

The lack of well regulation has pitted local land users against each other in rural areas as investment groups buy up cropland and have the ability to drill wells into much deeper aquifers than the existing farmers and ranchers have been able to afford, essentially draining the shallower water.

The old adage “whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting” is still alive in Arizona and all the farming areas need to keep a close eye on the state Legislature’s water wheeling and dealing!