Ariz. Rev. Stat. » Title 45
Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 45-103 (2026)

Scope of authority and responsibility of department and director

✓ current as of May 2026
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section AZ-LEGazleg.gov (official) JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

A. The department, through the director, succeeds to the authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of the Arizona water commission and the state water engineer relating to surface water, groundwater and dams and reservoirs.

B. The director has general control and supervision of surface water, its appropriation and distribution, and of groundwater to the extent provided by this title, except distribution of water reserved to special officers appointed by courts under existing judgments or decrees.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 6 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 2003–2025 · leading case: Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 91 P.3d 990 (Ariz. 2004).
Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment
Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 91 P.3d 990 (Ariz. 2004). · cites it 4× “§ 45-102(B), with sweeping “general control and supervision” of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003). ¶ 4 The Groundwater Code established four initial “active management areas” (“AMAs”).”
Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 73 P.3d 1267 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 8× “A.R.S. § 45-103(2003). After public hearings and due consideration the Department concluded that it was appropriate to directly regulate only certain individual users.”
Yavapai-Apache Nation v. Fabritz-Whitney, 260 P.3d 299 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2011). · cites it 2× “§ 45-102(B), with sweeping ‘general control and supervision’ of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003).” Id. ¶ 16 To further its purpose, the GMA established AMAs to regulate water usage within certain key areas of Arizona.”
United States v. Verde Ditch (Ariz. Ct. App. 2017). · cites it 2× “The statute limits court appointed officers, such as VDC, to the distribution of water, while ADWR has the authority to issue new permits when water is available for appropriation. ¶26 The 1909 Decree gave VDC the authority to manage and maintain the Verde Ditch and to…”
Az Water Co v. Az Dept of Water Resources (Ariz. 2004). · cites it 2× “§ 45- 102(B), with sweeping “general control and supervision” of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003). 3 ¶4 The Groundwater Code established four initial “active management areas” (“AMAs”).”
Gila River Indian Cmty. v. Schoubroek (9th Cir. 2025). “” Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 45-103 (B). As of 2016, thirty-five years after it was established, the Adjudication involves over 82,000 claims and over 38,000 parties.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 45-103(2003) — 1 case
Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 73 P.3d 1267 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2003). “A.R.S. § 45-103(2003). After public hearings and due consideration the Department concluded that it was appropriate to directly regulate only certain individual users.”
— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 45-103(B) — 5 cases
Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 91 P.3d 990 (Ariz. 2004). “§ 45-102(B), with sweeping “general control and supervision” of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003). ¶ 4 The Groundwater Code established four initial “active management areas” (“AMAs”).”
Arizona Water Co. v. Arizona Dep't of Water Resources, 73 P.3d 1267 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2003). “A.R.S. § 45-103(2003). After public hearings and due consideration the Department concluded that it was appropriate to directly regulate only certain individual users.”
Yavapai-Apache Nation v. Fabritz-Whitney, 260 P.3d 299 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2011). “§ 45-102(B), with sweeping ‘general control and supervision’ of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003).” Id. ¶ 16 To further its purpose, the GMA established AMAs to regulate water usage within certain key areas of Arizona.”
United States v. Verde Ditch (Ariz. Ct. App. 2017). “The statute limits court appointed officers, such as VDC, to the distribution of water, while ADWR has the authority to issue new permits when water is available for appropriation. ¶26 The 1909 Decree gave VDC the authority to manage and maintain the Verde Ditch and to…”
Az Water Co v. Az Dept of Water Resources (Ariz. 2004). “§ 45- 102(B), with sweeping “general control and supervision” of groundwater, A.R.S. § 45-103(B) (2003). 3 ¶4 The Groundwater Code established four initial “active management areas” (“AMAs”).”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.