Arizona Water Law, Natural Resources and Public Lands

From reviewing and preparing state filings, to representing clients’ interests before the United States Congress, Brown & Brown Law Offices engages in an extensive water law practice involving water uses throughout the State of Arizona. We represent numerous irrigation districts, ranches, municipalities, special water districts and homeowners in the General Adjudication of the Gila River System and Source and the General Adjudication of the Little Colorado River System and Source. We have also participated in the settlement negotiations leading to two historic Indian water right settlements: the Zuni Heaven water rights settlement and the Arizona Settlement Act, the latter of which involves the Gila River and the Gila River Indian Community.

We frequently represent parties having decreed water rights. We have extensive experience with Norviel Decree severances and transfers in the Little Colorado River watershed, with the Globe Equity 59 Decree in southern Arizona, and other decrees in the Verde River watershed.

Our Natural Resources practice also includes representing clients who lease federal lands and transport water through ditches having Federal Land Management Policy Act (FLPMA) easements or special use permits. While we do not specialize in NEPA issues, we have drafted water-related comments to proposed environmental impact statements on behalf of clientele directly affected by these proposed actions.

The following is a partial list of the services we offer in our natural resources section:

• Water right filing review, analysis and drafting
• Well sharing agreements (and litigation)
• Representation in the Gila River or Little Colorado River adjudications
• Water right decree enforcement actions
• Obtaining water right severance and transfer orders
• Review of environmental impact statements and general comments (we can assist with arranging for a NEPA specialist to help you)
• Analysis, negotiation or protest of federal easements or permits
• Federal and state lobbyist work in connection with settlements, legislation involving water and natural resource issues
• Negotiation of federal or state grazing lease issues

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