Two bills in the Arizona Legislature would let groundwater from western Arizona be sold to cities like Phoenix, drawing criticism from local leaders who warn it could harm rural communities House Bills 2757 and 2758 would affect groundwater in McMullen Valley and Butler Valley in western Arizona. Investment group Water Asset Management owns thousands of acres of farmland in both areas and could profit by moving and selling groundwater from the aquifer under those lands, according to critics of the bills. … Rep. Gail Griffin, a sponsor of the legislation, said looming Colorado River cuts are driving the need for the bills.

Other groundwater news:

• The Arizona Republic (Phoenix): Keep water for locals, not Phoenix, La Paz residents tell state agency
• Maven’s Notebook: Blog: Unraveling the dynamics of interconnected surface water depletion​