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Willcox Winery Owner Says AMA Is ‘Too Restrictive’ on Local Wineries
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Willcox Winery Owner Says AMA Is ‘Too Restrictive’ on Local Wineries

WILLCOX, Ariz. (KGUN) — It’s been a week since the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) held its public hearing in Willcox, on the possibility of implementing an Active Management Agreement (AMA) for the Willcox Groundwater Basin.

The investigation is already having an impact on local wineries.

“This region affects the entire wine industry in Arizona,” said Barbara Pierce, owner of Bodega Pierce.

She and her husband started their Willcox winery in 2011. They began clearing an additional 30 acres to increase the number of grapes they produce and the wine they can produce, but the expansion was halted due to the AMA potential.

“It’s very concerning with this AMA being put in place because we’re not able to expand the acreage that we were looking forward to,” Pierce said.

The ADWR asked them to stop their expansion because, during the investigation, no new irrigation systems could be installed.

“The property would literally become priceless, because it was worth nothing,” Pierce said.

There are more than 20 wineries in the Willcox Basin. Many of them planned to expand as they grew.

“It’s a little scary for us, because like I said, one size fits all doesn’t really work,” Pierce said.

She says they are not opposed to water conservation. They would just like to see more recent legislation, since the AMA format was created in the 1980s.

“We all agree, we all need to be good stewards of our water. Everyone, ranchers, farmers, everyone knows that,” Pierce said. “So what’s our option? And that’s to work together and find something less restrictive.”

The ADWR director has until the end of this month to determine whether or not the Willcox Groundwater Basin will get an AMA.

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Alexis Ramanjulu East a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, where she also lives. Share your story ideas with Alexis via email [email protected] or by connecting to Facebook.