David Noble
Noble Law Office
Yuma, Arizona • Serving Yuma County
Phone pending
About David Noble
David Noble is a water rights attorney at Noble Law Office representing landowners and stakeholders in Yuma, Arizona. Arizona water law is codified in Title 45 of the Arizona Revised Statutes, governed by the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and structured around the doctrine of prior appropriation for surface water, the Groundwater Management Act of 1980, and the ongoing Gila and Little Colorado River general stream adjudications. See contact information below.
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Education
- Law School: Saint Mary's
Common questions about Water Rights in Arizona
Answered by Arizona Attorney Search Network
Can I lose water rights from non-use in Arizona?
Yes. Surface water rights under prior appropriation are subject to forfeiture for 5 years of continuous non-use under ARS § 45-189, with limited exceptions for force majeure, conservation, and recognized non-use rationale. The Department of Water Resources or other water users may petition for forfeiture. Groundwater grandfathered rights inside AMAs have separate non-use rules under ARS § 45-465.
What is prior appropriation in Arizona water law?
Prior appropriation, codified in ARS Title 45, Chapter 1, is the doctrine that water rights are established by first beneficial use ('first in time, first in right'). Senior right-holders take their full allocation before junior rights take any in times of shortage. Surface water in Arizona is governed by prior appropriation; groundwater is governed by the separate framework of the 1980 Groundwater Management Act.
What is the Arizona Groundwater Management Act?
The 1980 Groundwater Management Act (ARS Title 45, Chapter 2) created Arizona's groundwater regulatory framework, designating Active Management Areas (AMAs) and Irrigation Non-Expansion Areas (INAs) where pumping is restricted. The Phoenix, Pinal, Prescott, Tucson, and Santa Cruz AMAs cover most of Arizona's population. The Act's goal is achieving 'safe-yield' (no net groundwater depletion) by 2025 in most AMAs.
Q&As answered by David Noble
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Office Location
Noble Law Office
1405 W 16TH ST STE A
Yuma, AZ 85364
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