PREFILED    JAN 07 2026

REFERENCE TITLE: surface water; irrigation; definition

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

 

 

 

HB 2151

 

Introduced by

Representative Griffin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

 

Amending section 45-151, Arizona Revised Statutes; RELATING to water rights.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


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

Section 1. Section 45-151, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE45-151. Right of appropriation; permitted uses; water rights in stockponds; definition

A. Any person, the this state of Arizona or a political subdivision thereof of this state may appropriate unappropriated water for domestic, municipal, irrigation, stock watering, water power, recreation, wildlife, including fish, nonrecoverable water storage pursuant to section 45-833.01 or mining uses, for his personal use or for delivery to consumers. The person, the this state of Arizona or a political subdivision thereof of this state first appropriating the water shall have the better right.

B. To effect the beneficial use, the person, the this state of Arizona or a political subdivision thereof of this state appropriating the water may construct and maintain reservoirs, storage facilities pursuant to chapter 3.1 of this title, dams, canals, ditches, flumes and other necessary waterways.

C. A water right in a stockpond, certified pursuant to article 10 of this chapter, shall be recognized as if such water had been appropriated pursuant to this article.

D. For the purposes of this section, "irrigation" means the use of water on lands to produce plants or parts of plants for any of the following:

1. Sale.

2. Human consumption.

3. Use as feed for livestock, range livestock or poultry.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "livestock", "range livestock" and "poultry" have the same meanings prescribed in section 3-1201. END_STATUTE