basin management areas; appropriation

This bill establishes a new process in Arizona for creating basin management areas, which are specific zones designed to address severe groundwater depletion and land subsidence. It allows eligible voters in a groundwater basin to petition the state director to form such an area if the region shows significant land sinking and rapid water level declines. The director must then verify these conditions, conduct a cost-benefit analysis, and work with county supervisors to approve the area through public meetings and a unanimous vote. Additionally, the bill authorizes the director to directly designate certain irrigation areas or basins with extreme water level drops as management areas without requiring a voter petition.