Ariz. Admin. Code § 12-15-1307

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R12-15-1307 - Well Spacing Requirements - Notices of Water Exchange under A.R.S. Section 45-1051

A. A notice of water exchange participant may not participate in a water exchange for which a notice is filed under A.R.S. § 45-1051 if the director determines that any new or increased pumping by the person from a well or wells within an active management area pursuant to the water exchange will cause unreasonably increasing damage to surrounding land or other water users under subsection (B) of this Section.

B. The director shall determine that new or increased pumping from the well or wells in an active management area will cause unreasonably increasing damage to surrounding land or other water users if any of the following apply:

1. Except as provided in subsection (C) of this Section, the director determines that the probable impact of the new or increased pumping on any well of record in existence when the pumping commenced or is proposed to commence will exceed 10 feet of additional drawdown after the first five years of the pumping. To assist the director in making a determination under this subsection, the notice of water exchange participant may submit to the director a hydrological study delineating those areas surrounding the notice of water exchange participant's well or wells in which the projected impacts of the new or increased pumping on water levels will exceed 10 feet of additional drawdown after the first five years of the pumping. The director may require the notice of water exchange participant to submit such a hydrological study if the director determines that the study will assist the director in making a determination under this subsection;

2. The director determines that the new or increased pumping is in an area of known land subsidence and the pumping will likely cause unreasonably increasing damage from additional regional land subsidence. To assist the director in making a determination under this subsection, the notice of water exchange participant may submit to the director a hydrological study, which may include a geophysical evaluation, demonstrating the impact of the pumping on regional land subsidence. The director may require the notice of water exchange participant to submit such a hydrological study if the director determines that the study will assist the director in making a determination under this subsection; or

3. Except as provided in subsection (D) of this Section, the director determines, after consulting with ADEQ, that the new or increased pumping will likely cause the migration of contaminated groundwater from a remedial action site to a well of record in existence when the pumping commenced or is proposed to commence, resulting in a degradation of the quality of the water withdrawn from the well of record so that the water will no longer be usable for the purpose for which it is currently being used without additional treatment, and that the damage to the owner of the well of record will not be prevented or adequately mitigated through the implementation of a program regulated under Title 49 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, or a program regulated by EPA or DOD. To assist the director in making a determination under this subsection, the notice of water exchange participant may submit to the director a hydrological study demonstrating whether the new or increased pumping will have the effect described in this subsection. The director may require the notice of water exchange participant to submit such a study if the director determines that the study will assist the director in making a determination under this subsection.

C. If the director determines under subsection (B)(1) of this Section that the probable impact of the new or increased pumping on any well of record in existence when the pumping commenced or is proposed to commence will exceed 10 feet of additional drawdown after the first five years of the pumping, the director shall notify the notice of water exchange participant in writing of the location of the wells of record and the names and addresses of the owners of the wells as shown in the Department's well registry. The director shall not determine that the new or increased pumping will cause unreasonably increasing damage to surrounding land or other water users from the concentration of wells under subsection (B)(1) of this Section if within 60 days after the date on the notice, or a longer time period approved by the director, the notice of water exchange participant submits one of the following for each well of record identified in the notice:

1. A signed and notarized consent form from the owner of the well of record consenting to the new or increased pumping. The notice of water exchange participant shall use the consent form furnished by the director; or

2. Evidence satisfactory to the director that the address of the owner of the well of record as shown in the Department's well registry records is inaccurate and that the notice of water exchange participant made a reasonable attempt to locate the current owner of the well of record but was unable to do so.

D. If the director determines that the new or increased pumping will have the effect described in subsection (B)(3) of this Section on one or more wells of record in existence when the pumping commenced or is proposed to commence, the director shall notify the notice of water exchange participant in writing of the location of the wells of record and the names and addresses of the owners of the wells as shown in the Department's well registry. The director shall not determine that the new or increased pumping will cause unreasonably increasing damage to surrounding land or other water users from the concentration of wells under subsection (B)(3) of this Section if within 60 days after the date on the notice, or a longer time period approved by the director, the notice of water exchange participant submits one of the following for each well of record identified in the notice:

E. At any time before a final determination under this Section, the notice of water exchange participant may agree to construct or operate the well or wells in a manner that lessens the degree of impact on wells of record or regional land subsidence. Compliance with the agreement is a condition for the use of the well to pump water for the water exchange.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-15-1307

New Section made by final rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 2193, effective August 7, 2006 (Supp. 06-2).