Enhancing the Understanding and Importance of Granting Instream Flow Water Rights in Arizona

Because of the rising demand for water supplies in urbanized, agricultural, and industrialized Arizona, water has been diverted from many rivers and streams to serve socio-economic needs. These diversions have often resulted in diminished stream flows and, when not properly managed, have had a negative impact on the riparian resources of Arizona's rivers and streams. To achieve a better economic and environmental balance in water allocations between instream and offstream uses, a more comprehensive understanding of the values of instream flows and the laws and regulations that affect allocations of these flows is needed. View Document.