8legs: La paz county, usa

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Arizona draws a line on groundwater use after letting Saudi-owned company pump freely for years

Arizona designates the Ranegras Plain as an active management area to curb groundwater pumping, aiming to slow depletion and provide oversight for rural wells.
Fondomonte, a Saudi-owned dairy operation, is highlighted as the region's largest water user, irrigating alfalfa for export and drawing from local basins.
The new rules require high-capacity wells to begin reporting water usage and restrict additional irrigation of farmland.
Governor Katie Hobbs framed the move as cracking down on out-of-state interests pumping water, tying it to local farmer and family needs.
A local advisory council and a plan to reduce water use will accompany the designation to guide compliance and conservation efforts.
Residents report wells going dry and land subsidence as aquifer levels fall in the Ranegras Plain, signaling urgent local impacts.
Fondomonte pledged compliance with state and local regulations and pointed to ongoing water-efficiency investments.
A lawsuit by the Arizona attorney general alleges Fondomonte's pumping harms groundwater, land subsidence, and water quality.
The policy change builds on decades of regulation and follows broader drought and climate pressures within the Colorado River Basin.
The AP reference confirms the rules apply to western Arizona and to the Fondomonte basin, emphasizing conservation over reversal of groundwater decline.
The broader drought context shows Arizona's actions as part of state and regional efforts to manage water amid climate-driven scarcity.

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