Arizona Department of Water Resources Page 2

ADWR Releases Zuni Indian Water Rights Settlement

Catalog of Non-Exempt Registered Wells

On December 18, 2009 the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) is releasing a catalog of non-exempt registered wells located in the Eastern Little Colorado River Basin (Catalog).

ADWR compiled the Catalog in accordance with the Zuni Indian Tribe Water Rights Settlement, approved by the Little Colorado River Adjudication Court (Court) on November 27, 2006. The purpose of the Catalog is to identify and verify existing, non-exempt registered wells in the area by registration number, legal description, and owner.

ADWR prepared and distributed a preliminary Catalog in December 2008 and received comments from several Settlement parties. This final Catalog addresses comments on the preliminary and includes results from a voluntary well registration program. The Settlement Agreement (Agreement) recognizes that there could be “existing wells that are not currently registered” in the project area and specifies that a voluntary well registration program be created to allow for registration of these wells and their inclusion into the Catalog.

The Agreement allows the Catalog to be supplemented with existing wells that were omitted and well owners can object to the Court that the Catalog contains an improper description of a well they own. The Zuni Tribe and United States can also object that well descriptions are inaccurate. The Court will ultimately resolve any objections as to the accuracy of the Catalog.

The Catalog consists of one volume of text, one figure, one table, and several appendices. A paper copy of the Catalog is available for purchase by contacting ADWR at the numbers listed below. The price is $50; the version published on DVD is $10. A web-based version of the Catalog will be available for download from ADWR’s website, www.azwater.gov, on or before December 23, 2009.

For additional information, contact:

Ana Marquez, Adjudications & Planning
1-866-246-1414

Jack Lavelle, Public Information Officer
(602) 771-8430

In addition, the Catalog is available for inspection at the following locations:

Apache County Manager Round Valley Public Library

75 West Cleveland P.O. Box 1180

St. Johns, Arizona 85936 Eagar, Arizona 85925

(928) 337-4364 (928) 333-4694

Navajo County Manager Snowflake-Taylor Public Library

Navajo County Complex 418 South 4th West

P. O. Box 668 Snowflake, Arizona 85937

Holbrook, Arizona 86025 (928) 536-7103 Ext. 245

(928) 524-4053

Holbrook Public Library St. Johns Public Library

403 Park Street P. O. Box 2760

Holbrook, Arizona 86025 St. Johns, Arizona 85936

(928) 524-3732 (928) 337-4405

Winslow Public Library Show Low Public Library

420 West Gilmore 180 North 9th Street

Winslow, Arizona 86047 Show Low, Arizona 85901

(928) 289-4982 (928) 532-4070