Recharge Program Overview

Competition for the use of water in Arizona continues to increase as each year brings the State more people, new development, and new industry.  All uses are dependent upon a finite water supply.  The challenge of water management in Arizona is to satisfy current and future needs.  Satisfying those needs requires innovative solutions, one of which is the recharge program.

For decades, more groundwater has been pumped from Arizona’s aquifers for agricultural, municipal, and industrial uses than has naturally recharged back into the aquifers. This imbalance has left some aquifers significantly depleted. Using renewable supplies and recharging water underground reduces this imbalance.

To encourage the direct use of renewable water supplies, the recharge program restricts the type of water that may be stored long-term to renewable sources that cannot be used directly. Persons who wish to store water through the recharge program must apply to ADWR for the appropriate permits.  All permit holders are required to file annual reports with the Department regarding the volume of water they stored and/or recovered pursuant to their permits.

Recharge in Arizona

In 1986 the Arizona Legislature established the Underground Water Storage and Recovery program to allow persons with surplus supplies of water to store that water underground and recover it at a later time for the storer’s use. In 1994, the Legislature enacted the Underground Water Storage, Savings, and Replenishment Act (UWS), which further defined the recharge program. The recharge program is administered by ADWR.

Information on individual recharge projects in Arizona, including permitted storage volume and type of water stored, is available in the Annual Status Report . Water being stored includes CAP, effluent, and Salt/Verde River water.

As of 2004, the Phoenix AMA has 39 USF projects permitted for up to a total of 480,000 AFA and 11 GSF projects permitted for up to a total of 720,000 AFA. 

As of 2004, the Tucson AMA has 9 USF projects permitted for up to a total of 212,000 AFA and 6 GSF projects permitted for up to a total of 83,000 AFA.  

As of 2004, the Pinal AMA has 4 USF projects permitted for up to a total of 3,600 AFA and 4 GSF projects permitted for up to a total of 286,000 AFA. 

As of 2004, the Prescott AMA has 3 USF projects permitted for up to a total of 8,900 AFA and no GSF projects permitted.

To date, the volume of CAP, effluent and surface water stored in Arizona is in excess of 4 million acre-feet.