ARIZONA DAILY STAR: Thurs., June 21, 2007
New law establishes water-use board for San Pedro Valley
By Howard Fischer; Capitol Media Services
PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano signed legislation Wednesday to study the water supply problem in the upper San Pedro Valley, and maybe even create a new layer of government.
The new law sets up a nine-member board to come up with a comprehensive plan to both conserve and reuse water within the area as well as to find ways to augment the water supply. That panel also would figure out how to organize a permanent water district, elect members, determine how much it would cost to meet the goals and how to raise that money.
The measure is based on an agreement that Fort Huachuca has with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to have the area achieve "sustainable yield" by 2011, with the amount of water being pumped from the ground no greater than the recharge. That whole issue arises because the San Pedro River, fed in part by groundwater, is in danger of drying up, endangering the plants and animals that live there. And federal dollars cannot be used in ways that threaten these species.
FULL STORY: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/188507