Ariz. Admin. Code § 12-15-1308

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

Section R12-15-1308 - Replacement Wells in Approximately the Same Location

A. For purposes of A.R.S. §§ 45-544, 45-596, and 45-597, a replacement well in approximately the same location is a proposed well to which all of the following apply:

1. The proposed well will be located no greater than 660 feet from the original well, and the location of the original well can be determined at the time the notice of intention to drill the proposed well is filed;

2. Except as provided in subsections (A)(3) and (A)(4) of this Section, the proposed well will not annually withdraw an amount of water in excess of the maximum annual capacity of the original well. The director shall determine the maximum annual capacity of the original well by multiplying the maximum pump capacity of the original well in gallons per minute by 525,600, and then converting the result into acre-feet by dividing the result by 325,851 gallons. The director shall presume that the maximum pump capacity of the original well is the maximum pump capacity of the well in gallons per minute as shown in the Department's well registry records, except that:

a. If the director has reason to believe that the maximum pump capacity as shown in the Department's well registry records is inaccurate, or if the applicant submits evidence demonstrating that the maximum pump capacity as shown in the Department's well registry records is inaccurate, the director shall determine the maximum pump capacity by considering all available evidence, including the depth and diameter of the well and any evidence submitted by the applicant; or

b. If the Department's well registry records do not show the maximum pump capacity of the original well, the director shall not approve the proposed well as a replacement well in approximately the same location unless the applicant demonstrates to the director's satisfaction the maximum pump capacity of the original well;

3. If a well permit was issued for the original well under A.R.S. § 45-599, the proposed well will not annually withdraw an amount of groundwater in excess of the maximum annual volume set forth in the well permit;

4. If a recovery well permit was issued for the well to be replaced pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-834.01(B) and the permit sets forth a maximum annual volume of stored water that may be recovered from the well, the proposed well will not annually recover an amount of stored water in excess of the maximum annual volume set forth in the recovery well permit;

5. If the well to be replaced has been physically abandoned in accordance with R12-15-816, a notice of intention to drill the proposed well is filed no later than 90 days after the well to be replaced was physically abandoned; and

6. If the proposed well will be used to withdraw groundwater from the Little Colorado river plateau groundwater basin for transportation away from the basin pursuant to A.R.S. § 45-544(B)(1), one of the following applies:

a. The original well was drilled on or before January 1, 1991, or was drilled after that date pursuant to a notice of intention to drill that was on file with the Department on that date; or

b. The director previously determined that the withdrawal of groundwater from the original well for transportation away from the Little Colorado river plateau groundwater basin complies with R12-15-1304.

B. After a replacement well in approximately the same location is drilled, the replacement well may be operated in conjunction with the original well and any other wells that replaced the original well if the total annual withdrawals from all wells do not exceed the maximum amount allowed under subsection (A)(2), (A)(3), or (A)(4) of this Section, whichever applies.

C. A proposed well may be drilled as a replacement well in approximately the same location for more than one original well if the criteria in subsections (A)(1), (A)(5), and (A)(6) of this Section are met with respect to each original well and if the total annual withdrawals from the proposed well will not exceed the combined maximum annual amounts allowed for each original well under subsections (A)(2), (A)(3), or (A)(4) of this Section, whichever apply.

D. The director may include conditions in the approval of the notice of intention to drill the replacement well to ensure that the drilling and operation of the replacement well meets the requirements of this Section.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R12-15-1308

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