As the Arizona Department of Water Resources works to regulate groundwater pumping in western Arizona, a megafarm responsible for more than 80% of all pumping in a 912-square-mile groundwater basin seeks to stay a public nuisance lawsuit in which it’s accused of excessive pumping. In a state courthouse Wednesday, Fondomonte Arizona LLC argued the ongoing process to designate the Ranegras Plain Basin as an active management area would achieve the same groundwater regulation goals as the lawsuit Attorney General Kris Mayes filed against it in 2024. Rather than move forward with the litigation, Riley Snow of Rose Law Group suggested the court allow the two-year process to play out and address any remaining concerns later.

Other groundwater news:

• KVIE (Sacramento, Calif.): Yolo County water worries hit the courts as officials allege DWR skirted environmental review
• SJV Water (Bakersfield, Calif.): Kings County water agency expands its leadership ranks, looks to hire new chief executive
• King City Rustler (Calif.): Deadline extended for new well registration program in Salinas Valley