PREFILED    DEC 12 2025

REFERENCE TITLE: appropriation; stormwater recharge mapping; sites

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HB 2053

Introduced by

Representatives Griffin: Lopez

AN ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of water resources.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Appropriation; department of water resources; stormwater recharge mapping; definition

A. The sum of $100,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2026-2027 to the department of water resources for updated stormwater recharge mapping.

B. Within one hundred eighty days after the effective date of this section, the department of water resources shall cooperate with an agricultural improvement district established pursuant to title 48, chapter 17, Arizona Revised Statutes, and the state natural resource conservation board established by section 41-6011, Arizona Revised Statutes, to provide an updated map of potential stormwater recharge sites in this state that do not conflict with existing surface water rights.

C. The updated stormwater recharge map shall identify the location of potential stormwater recharge sites in this state that meet all of the following criteria:

1. Are located on any lands in this state, including public and private lands.

2. Have optimum soil conditions for stormwater infiltration and groundwater recharge.

3. Do not include streams or natural channels that are subject to a general adjudication of water rights pursuant to title 45, chapter 1, article 9, Arizona Revised Statutes, or lands that stormwater may run off of and enter a stream or natural channel before evaporation.

D. For the purposes of this section, "stormwater" means rainwater runoff that does not enter a stream or natural channel and that is otherwise lost to evaporation.