Evolution and Evaluation of the Active Management Area Management Plans
More than half-way into the 45-year period for meeting the goals of the Arizona Groundwater Management Act (GMA), the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) will be developing the fourth of five management plans for each of the Active Management Areas (AMAs), as mandated by the Act. In each of the AMAs, tremendous effort by ADWR staff, those regulated by ADWR and other water stakeholders is devoted to the development of the management plans. This report provides an examination of the intended functions/purposes of the management plans relative to legislative intent, an evaluation of the management plan provisions to date from the perspective of ADWR staff and the regulated community, an assessment of the effectiveness of the management plans in meeting their goals, and suggestions of what stakeholders would like to see in future management plans. It concludes with several key recommendations based on the implications of the study results. This project will assist ADWR as it moves forward with the development of the Fourth Management Plans. This evaluation provides a foundation for change in the approach and content of the final two management plans.