Colorado River water; replenishment; restriction

HB 2263 creates a permit system for groundwater savings facilities in Arizona, directly affecting water users in designated groundwater zones and facility operators. It requires facilities to deliver non-groundwater water (like Colorado River water) to replace groundwater use on a "gallon-for-gallon" basis, with strict conditions to ensure the replacement is necessary and verifiable. The bill restricts Colorado River water use for replenishment to only permitted facilities owned by specific water districts or located on state/private land. Key provisions include verifying groundwater savings annually through metrics like historic pumping costs and power usage, and ensuring the replacement water was not previously available. This aims to reduce groundwater pumping while standardizing how surface water can substitute for it.