On June 24, Kari Ann Noeltner and Marieke McArthur represented the Water Alliance of La Paz County at a meeting of the Rural Groundwater Resilience Exchange, or RGRx. The gathering brought together community water leaders, advocates, researchers, technical experts, and policymakers from across Arizona to exchange ideas and consider how rural communities can support one another.
The meeting reinforced an important reality: while every groundwater basin has its own conditions and concerns, many rural communities are confronting similar challenges.
Participants discussed the issues their communities are facing such as declining groundwater levels, land subsidence, limited monitoring data, aging infrastructure, agricultural demand, development pressures, and the lack of local groundwater protections in many parts of the state. Communities also shared the difficulty of explaining complex groundwater issues in ways that are useful to residents and decision-makers.
These concerns are familiar in La Paz County. Our communities are working to understand the long-term condition of local aquifers, the effects of groundwater transportation, the implementation of the Ranegras Plain Active Management Area, and the potential consequences of state legislation. At the same time, we are seeking better ways to expand public education, strengthen local participation, and improve access to trusted groundwater information.
Learning Across Communities
One of the most valuable parts of the meeting was hearing how other communities are responding.
Some are developing groundwater monitoring and community science programs. Others are pursuing recharge projects, agricultural conservation, watershed restoration, infrastructure improvements, or stronger local water organizations. These efforts offer practical lessons that can help communities build on one another’s experience rather than starting from the beginning each time.
The group also discussed the development of groundwater basin stories: clear, accessible summaries of local conditions, priorities, resources, and ongoing work. These tools could help communities communicate more effectively with residents, agencies, and policymakers.
Groundwater data is essential, but numbers alone do not show what water decline means for a household with a failing well, a town maintaining its water system, or a farmer weighing conservation options. Strong groundwater planning must connect sound science with the experiences of the people affected by water decisions.
From Shared Concerns to Collective Action
The meeting focused not only on identifying problems, but also on what the Exchange could accomplish collectively.
Participants discussed the need for better access to data, stronger local organizations, shared educational resources, technical support, and clearer ways for rural perspectives to reach state decision-makers. There was also broad recognition that statewide collaboration could strengthen local leadership.
La Paz County’s needs are not identical to those of Patagonia, Mohave County, the Verde Valley, or the Sulphur Springs Valley. Each region has different water users, economies, geology, and governance structures. Still, rural communities often share several basic needs: reliable information, meaningful participation, adequate technical capacity, and policies that reflect local conditions.
By identifying those areas of common ground, communities can learn from one another and present a stronger, more informed voice in statewide water discussions.
What This Means for La Paz County
Participation in RGRx connects the Water Alliance of La Paz County with a broader network of knowledge, experience, and support.
It gives us an opportunity to share what is happening in the Ranegras Plain, McMullen Valley, Butler Valley, Harquahala Valley, and other basins affecting our county. It also allows us to learn from communities that are advancing monitoring, conservation, public engagement, recharge planning, and organizational development.
The meeting was a reminder that La Paz County is not facing these challenges alone. Across Arizona, rural communities are working to protect local water supplies while balancing agriculture, housing, economic development, infrastructure, and environmental needs.
The Rural Groundwater Resilience Exchange offers a way to strengthen those efforts through cooperation, shared learning, and a more united rural voice.
The Water Alliance of La Paz County looks forward to continuing this work and bringing the lessons, resources, and relationships developed through RGRx back to our community.
