Willcox Groundwater Basin now regulated by the state after voters turned it down

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Desiree Gerth lives in Willcox and owns Strive Vineyard. On Wednesday she was at the Arizona Department of Water Resources’ informational session and workshop.

“Everyone is very nervous about how this is going to affect specifically our wine industry,” Gerth said.

She’s not happy the Willcox Groundwater Basin is now an active management area, also known as an AMA. It is now the seventh one in Arizona.

“Not knowing whether we’re going to be able to continue the water use we already have,” she said about her concerns.

She said with some of the department’s plan still up in the air, that’s making it hard to make plans to expand her vineyard.

“So are some of our grapevines going to be end up ripped out of the ground like we’ve seen happening in other areas?” she questioned.

Governor Katie Hobbs said Willcox relies only on groundwater and how much groundwater is being used has not been regulated. She said the groundwater levels in Willcox aren’t where they’re supposed to be.

Now that it’s considered an AMA, some places in Willcox will be allowed to use the groundwater and some places will not be able to expand.

“Means that no more wine grapes can go into the ground. No one else can come online. Some of the little guys will have to fall away and we’ll be lucky to have much of an industry left when we’re just barely getting off the ground,” Gerth said.

In 2022, voters said no to an AMA. KGUN9 news reporter Andrew Christiansen is waiting to hear back about why the ADWR overturned that decision.

“It seems like an overreach. What we need is to kind of go back to the legislation and see what can we do,” Gerth said.

Mike Wear, a fifth generation rancher, also attended the meeting on Wednesday. He is not happy the state decided to overturn Willcox voters’ decision to not approve the AMA.

“It’s very disgusting. They’ve taken our property rights from us,” he said.

The ADWR said the AMA is going to support economic growth, but Wear is questioning that.

“I can’t expand my cow herd if I’m limited by the gallons of water that I can pump out of a well,” Wear said.

The ADWR said they’re working on the Willcox Groundwater Basin plan through 2029. Hobbs said this year she is pushing for new laws to reform groundwater in rural areas.

Meanwhile, Gerth is hoping the state considers their options.

“Everyone wants to conserve water. No one here is trying to overuse but we need a better solution,” Gerth said.

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