For decades, groundwater beneath Arizona’s big cities has been spared. That’s about to change

Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Fondomonte By Rob O’Dell, and Ian James | Arizona Republic While groundwater is rapidly falling in rural farming communities across Arizona, Phoenix, Tucson and other cities haven’t reached that desperate situation.  That’s because in the urban areas of the state — where there are rules limiting groundwater pumping — underground water levels have stabilized or risen in many areas …

These 7 industrial farm operations are draining Arizona’s aquifers, and no one knows exactly how much they’re taking

Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Fondomonte By Rob O’Dell, and Ian James | Arizona Republic The last time Regina Cobb traveled east of the Kingman airport toward the Peacock Mountains, the area was mostly unspoiled desert where cattle grazed on the sparse Mojave Desert vegetation.  She had driven up the dusty rural road to store a bighorn sheep she killed on a hunt.  …

Megafarms and deeper wells are draining the water beneath rural Arizona – quietly, irreversibly

Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Fondomonte By Ian James, and Rob O’Dell | Arizona Republic Vast expanses of lush green fields are multiplying in the Arizona desert, forming agricultural empires nourished with billions of gallons of groundwater in the otherwise parched landscape.  Arizona’s groundwater levels are plummeting in many areas. The problem is especially severe in unregulated rural areas where there …

Pinal County has plenty of water for the next 100 years. We just need to prioritize demand

Opinion: An alarming prediction about Pinal County facing a water shortage is a myth that’s based on outdated assumptions and incomplete data. By Jordan Rose and Tom Galvin, opinion contributors | azcentral Mark Twain once wrote of his difficulty with math by ascribing a quote about the flexible power of numbers to British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, “There are three …

The Arizona drought: Colorado River Indian Tribes to the rescue! Rose Law Group Founder & President Jordan Rose lauds the move

By John Wright | Parker Live With water levels continuing to drop toward a ‘shortage’ declaration at Lake Mead, the state has been meeting with stakeholders for months to forge a Drought Contingency Plan (DCP). The offer, outlined in a November 9th letter to the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the Central Arizona Conservation District, would extend CRIT’s existing …

Arizona ruling sides with developer in San Pedro River water use dispute; Legislature must solve the issues, says Rose Law Group land-use, regulatory and water attorney, Thomas Galvin

By Howard Fischer | Capitol Media Services via Arizona Daily Star The Arizona Supreme Court has given the go-ahead to new development in and around Sierra Vista even if it could dry up the San Pedro River — and even if it turns out that the homebuyers later end up with nothing but sand coming out of their faucets. In …

[EXCLUSIVE] Important water ruling analyzed

By Evan Bolick, Rose Law Group Litigator Yesterday the Arizona Supreme Court issued an important ruling relating to water rights.  Here’s a link to the opinion – and a brief summary of the highlights below. MAIN QUESTION – Is ADWR required to consider unquantified federal reserved water rights when determining the adequacy of developers’ water supplies? MAJORITY says no. Acknowledges …

Gilbert approves 100-year water lease with San Carlos Apache Tribe; ‘leadership, determination got deal done,’ says Thomas F. Galvin, land-use, regulatory and water attorney at Rose Law Group

By Lily Altavena | Arizona Republic Gilbert, the nation’s largest town, approved a $31.2 million water lease with the San Carlos Apache Tribe that should allow for continued growth. The lease will give Gilbert access to nearly 6,000 acre feet of water annually, which is the equivalent to enough water for 12,000 to 15,000 households for one year. The deal was vital to the town’s …

Johnson Utilities: ALJ recommends that ACC appoint Interim Manager; ‘something had to be done’ says Court Rich, Rose Law Group senior partner and director of Renewable Energy Department

By Jake Kincaid | Casa Grande Dispatch Administrative Law Judge Sarah Harping, who presided over the evidentiary hearing on Johnson Utilities’ operations, has recommended that the Arizona Corporation Commission appoint an interim manager for the company owned by George Johnson. The order and recommended opinion was released earlier than anticipated and orders staff to immediately begin efforts to obtain an …

Groundwater and development plans in Pinal County; Rose Law Group founder and president Jordan Rose says Pinal has ‘plenty of water for decades to come’

Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents Copper Mountain Ranch By Dustin Gardiner | The Republic Plans for a large master-planed community in Casa Grande have hit a major roadblock: The state of Arizona says there might not be enough water underground in aquifers to support the new rooftops. And the development isn’t the only one with a water problem that could halt construction. READ ON: