A New York-based investment company earlier this summer bought nearly 13,000 acres of land in La Paz County, and some critics worry the $100 million deal will mean less water for residents of the western Arizona county.
Water Asset Management describes itself on its website as a “global investor in companies and assets that ensure water quality and supply.” It’s also bought land in other Western states.
As the Arizona Daily Star reported, the land in La Paz County is in a basin that by law is approved for groundwater transfers — that means the water could end up in more urban parts of the state. Some residents of La Paz County are already concerned about other firms using local groundwater to grow crops shipped to other countries.
One of those people who’s concerned is County Supervisor Holly Irwin.
Conversation highlights
Why is this deal is such a problem?
HOLLY IRWIN: You know, water as, as you are well aware, has become a a major issue. I've been dealing with water issues in La Paz County since 2015 when it first got put on my radar. And so ... the ultimate threat is being targeted as a sacrificial lamb, you know, to supplement the urban areas within the state. And so it's been a growing concern of mine, not if, but when they try to come after, you know, the waters that are in the, the groundwater that's in our basins, as well as the surface water on the Colorado River. Which we're seeing both.
My understanding is that this particular land and the water underneath it is approved under state law for groundwater transfers. Is it surprising that something like this would have happened in this particular place?
IRWIN: You know what, I didn't learn about that particular part of the basin 'til a few years back. You know, when it was mentioned, as I started doing research on groundwater and, and the basins within La Paz County. And, you know, then, of course, in dealing with our representatives, they were like, "You know that these are in statute." And I was, I was literally floored, you know. I couldn't believe that, you know, we actually have three transfer basins within our county, you know, for water transfers.
So it almost makes it impossible to try to fight for protection when the leaders previous to me, at the state level, had put in you know, statutes for, to allow for these transfers to take place.
Has there been any effort, or do you anticipate there being an effort to try to undo that — to make it so that these are not available for transferring water to more urban areas of the state?
IRWIN: I will do whatever it takes in my power to try to fight these transfers or, you know, anything I can do to fight to keep the water within La Paz County. You know, being a representative for our county and for the people ... I do represent my constituents. You know, I have a duty to try to fight for them to keep the water here and protect our future and theirs as well.
How big of an impact could this water leaving La Paz County have on the people who live there, the farmers who live there?
IRWIN: ... It's gonna have a major impact because, you know, we're already seeing issues within that basin. You know, already have constituents that have lost their wells. Some have had to replace their wells twice now. ... So you add this on into the mix and it, it's just going to make the problem worse.
What have you been hearing recently in terms of wells potentially running dry or subsidence on particular pieces of land?
IRWIN: So there's two things there. So land subsidence definitely is an issue. Since I've been in office since 2009, I've literally experienced damages from 100-year floods out ... in these areas in the Wendde and Salome area. And land subsidence definitely has played a part in, in the amount of damage that we are receiving because of the land, you know, dropping. So that's became a major issue. ... I had been contacted just as recently as two weeks ago to an airpark that had lost their wells out in the Salom area.
... This is stuff that comes up all the time, you know, where you're hearing somebody that had to replace their wells. There's another RV park out in Wenden area where they had to replace their well I believe less than a year ago. You know, and that cost them well over $100,000 to replace theirs. ... Unfortunately, it's almost became the norm, you know, which is unfortunate because it shouldn't be that way.
Is there anything that you can do — short of changing state law — to try to keep some of this water in La Paz County?
IRWIN: Well, that, and I've been working along with other supervisors as well as previous representatives. ... Trying to form more of a local control type of a management area because we're the ones that are dealing with the issues every week it seems like. And, you know, we've been trying to fight to get some sort of protection, an alternative to the AMAs (Active Management Areas) and the INAs (Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas). You know, but it's very difficult to try to do that when you can't even get a hearing on a bill down at the Capitol. So it's been extremely frustrating.
