HB 2758 has been transmitted to the Senate having passed the House after three readings and a suspension of “rules”. This means that it will appear at some point soon on the agenda for the Senate to vote on. The pressure is on.
Every day there is news about the lack of progress on the Colorado River accords and how, unless an agreement is reached that is favorable to AZ, that AZ could cease to exist. Colorado River plan could wipe Arizona from the map, reads the headline of an article published on the 23rd in the AZCentral online newspaper. “Arizona is being unfairly targeted for reductions of Colorado River water that would cripple our state, flatten our economy and weaken our nation’s defense,” states a TV campaign ad sponsored by The Coalition for Protecting Arizona’s Lifeline. The lack of an agreement and the unrealistic goal of continued growth in Central AZ is just adding pressure to our legislature to take water from rural AZ making us increasingly vulnerable.
This is an issue for all of AZ rural areas, and it is important to know that there are over 100 additional organizations and individuals that are concerned about our ground water and that are participating in the effort to overturn this bill. The concern is that if this passes we will be the first of the dominos that fall. We are not alone in this battle.
If you are concerned about the communities in McMullen Valley and keeping our water for our use and not for the growth of the Phoenix suburbs and the profit of WAM, the New York hedge fund, please join me is contacting the members of the AZ Senate. We just sent our first of many emails to all members of the Senate yesterday. There will be more to come.
To make it easier for anyone who wishes to join us in the email campaign I have included in this post a format that you can copy and past to. I have also included a list of the email addresses of all members that you can just copy and paste as well.
Here is the format. Feel free to modify it as you see fit:
February XX, 2026
RE: HB2758-McMullen Valley
Honorable Senator,
My name is XXXX XXXXXXX, and I reside in XXXXXXXX, located in the heart of McMullen Valley. I have been a resident of AZ for XX years. I am writing to respectfully urge you to consider the lives of the people who live in McMullen Valley, and to vote NO on HB2758 when it comes before you.
Although it is understood that this aquifer has been designated as a transfer basin for approximately 30 years, the existing legislation permitted transfers only while the City of Phoenix owned the 13,000 acres in agricultural production. Since the property was sold in 2012, no entity qualified to transfer or sell water from the basin. However, approximately 20 months ago, Water Asset Management (WAM), a New York-based hedge fund, acquired the land and began lobbying to amend the statute to allow them to transfer and sell water from the Valley.
Wenden and Salome were founded 122 years ago and I am sure that those founding fathers had no idea when they put roots down that one day they would have to sacrifice their future for the sake of Central AZ. McMullen Valley should have priority!
Should this legislation proceed, it would have significant adverse effects on the communities of McMullen Valley.
While WAM has made certain assurances to a few hand selected community members and to the House Committee on Natural Resources regarding mitigation efforts of the damage that will be caused, they have provided no specific plans or budget, have not addressed the needs of the approximately 800 private well users in the Valley, and have engaged with only one out of three local water companies and there is no agreement in place for that system. As such, these commitments lack substantiation.
If this water transport bill moves forward, here are some of the potential consequences:
- Granting WAM the right to transfer up to 39,000 acre-feet of water per year out of McMullen Valley, a volume nearly equivalent to the current usage by agriculture and residents.
- The possibility that all private wells could become depleted within 8 to 10 years, with most residents unable to afford the expense of drilling deeper wells—potentially to depths below 1,200 feet. Hauling and storing water is a considerable expense as well.
- Authorization to lower the surface-to-water level by 10 feet annually, reducing the aquifer to 1,200 feet compared to the average well depth of 572 feet.
- Contrary to claims that the measure will extend the aquifer’s life, it would likely reduce its viability to approximately 30.5 years.
- WAM stands to make upwards of $350,000,000 from the water in McMullen Valley and leaves the residents helpless.
WAM’s supposed plan to extend the aquifer isn’t feasible and their numbers don’t add up. They have withheld contact with their hydrologist and their computations despite indicating that they would be transparent.
This proposal effectively amounts to planned aquifer depletion, as described by WAM representatives. There has been little demonstrated concern for the well-being of local residents; the primary motivation for WAM is money. For the residents it is life!
For additional information and updates regarding these concerns, please visit https://mcmullenvalleywater.com where comprehensive details are available to support your decision-making process.
We respectfully request your support in protecting the resources and livelihoods of rural Arizona communities. With your vote against this bill we can stave off a mass exodus of the Valley and the risk of turning it into a wasteland where people cannot live.
Thank you for your consideration.
XXXX XXXXXXXX
The email addresses below can be copied and pasted into the To: part of your email.
lalston@azleg.gov <lalston@azleg.gov>; hangius@azleg.gov <hangius@azleg.gov>; sbolick@azleg.gov <sbolick@azleg.gov>; fbravo@azleg.gov <fbravo@azleg.gov>; fcarroll@azleg.gov <fcarroll@azleg.gov>; eva.diaz@azleg.gov <eva.diaz@azleg.gov>; tdunn@azleg.gov <tdunn@azleg.gov>; mepstein@azleg.gov <mepstein@azleg.gov>; dfarnsworth@azleg.gov <dfarnsworth@azleg.gov>; bfernandez@azleg.gov <bfernandez@azleg.gov>; mfinchem@azleg.gov <mfinchem@azleg.gov>; rgabaldon@azleg.gov <rgabaldon@azleg.gov>; sgonzales@azleg.gov <sgonzales@azleg.gov>; dgowan@azleg.gov <dgowan@azleg.gov>; thatathlie@azleg.gov <thatathlie@azleg.gov>; jake.hoffman@azleg.gov <jake.hoffman@azleg.gov>; jkavanagh@azleg.gov <jkavanagh@azleg.gov>; lkuby@azleg.gov <lkuby@azleg.gov>; vleach@azleg.gov <vleach@azleg.gov>; jmesnard@azleg.gov <jmesnard@azleg.gov>; cmiranda@azleg.gov <cmiranda@azleg.gov>; analise.ortiz@azleg.gov <analise.ortiz@azleg.gov>; kpayne@azleg.gov <kpayne@azleg.gov>; wpetersen@azleg.gov <wpetersen@azleg.gov>; wrogers@azleg.gov <wrogers@azleg.gov>; ksears@azleg.gov <ksears@azleg.gov>; jshamp@azleg.gov <jshamp@azleg.gov>; tshope@azleg.gov <tshope@azleg.gov>; psundareshan@azleg.gov <psundareshan@azleg.gov>; cwerner@azleg.gov <cwerner@azleg.gov>
Leave a comment