Hualapai Valley Basin Aquifer report slated for Monday, Oct. 19 in Kingman

KINGMAN – Water, and the goal of protecting and preserving this valuable Mohave County resource, will be the focal point of a multi-media presentation Monday, Oct. 19 at 1:30 p.m. in the County Administration Building auditorium at 700 W Beale St. in Kingman.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) will report on a detailed three-year study of the Hualapai Valley Basin Aquifer that has been conducted to determine the aquifer’s health, and to identify future mitigation measures.

In 2017 Mohave County and the City of Kingman jointly initiated a contract with the USGS to develop a groundwater model for this basin because it is at risk of depletion below the 1,200-foot level that Arizona law says is “physically available” groundwater.

The objective of the groundwater model is to develop the best available hydrologic tool to quantitatively assess the groundwater conditions for most purposes and for all water users, Mohave County wrote in a news release.

The findings of a December, 2019 Arizona Department of Water Resources Report “indicate there is insufficient groundwater to provide a reasonably safe supply for sustained irrigation of cultivated lands in the basin at the current and predicted rates of withdrawal.” The report findings also show groundwater depletion is due to large-scale irrigation with the water level dropping below ground surface in less than 100 years. Monday’s presentation will give an updated summary of the current status and a detailed look at the future of water resources in the county.

The goals resulting from the study include legislative action, the continued monitoring and calibration of a water model that will provide guidance for future mitigation measures, and the continuation of the partnership among Mohave County, the City of Kingman and private landowners.

Mohave County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jean Bishop says the board is “critically concerned about resolving our water crisis in the Hualapai Valley Groundwater Basin.” The public is invited to attend this important presentation or watch the event on Mohave County’s YouTube channel.

Kingman Mayor Jen Miles and State Rep. Regina Cobb (R-Kingman) will also participate.

Information provided by Mohave County