There will not be a moratorium on new farming in parts of southeast Arizona.
On Thursday, the director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources rejected the efforts of some growers in the Sam Simon Valley in Cochise County to establish what's known as an Irrigation Non-Expasnion Area (INA). It's the first time farmers have ever petitioned the state to do so. Sixteen growers there contend that the aquifer cannot sustain any additional agriculture, beyond what’s already in production or slated to be.
In its decision, ADWR stated that there is "sufficient groundwater to provide a reasonably safe supply for irrigation of the cultivated lands... at current rates of withdrawal."
But those who asked for additional regulation argue that does not adequately address concerns about future farming and groundwater pumping.
Mark Cook is with Whitetail Creek Orchards and supported the moratorium. He is disappointed with the state’s decision.
“We have our eye to the future," Cook said. "We don’t think, if too many acres are developed, that there will be a sustainable supply for the future, so we have tried to be proactive about that."
Cook said there are thousands of acres with young trees that will eventually need much more water. He said he is considering appealing the decision.
Overall, most of the comments the state received were against regulation, in part because that would devalue land and limit opportunity for some farmers.
While much of Central Arizona has restrictions on groundwater pumping, most rural areas, including the San Simon Valley, do not limit how much agricultural operations can pump.
