Residents in Disarray as Arizona Town Sinks Beneath Their Feet

A Town Sinking into the Ground

A small town in Arizona is facing a crisis as it sinks into the ground. The issue stems from the increasing demand for groundwater, which has led both residents and corporate farms to drill deeper wells. In the town of Wenden, locals are being forced to dig thousands of feet underground to access this vital resource. This struggle over water is causing significant problems, with the land itself beginning to sink.

The Colorado River and its underground supply are crucial for various purposes, including drinking water for cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, as well as supporting large-scale agricultural operations that grow water-intensive crops such as alfalfa. While Arizona receives about 36 percent of its total water supply from the Colorado River, many towns like Wenden depend entirely on groundwater. However, the depletion of this resource due to extreme weather conditions has led to an unsustainable situation.

Gary Saiter, Head of the Wenden Water Improvement District, warns that the situation is dire. He states that in the last 15 years, Wenden has sunk into a subsidence bowl, with the town sinking over 3.5 feet and continuing to sink at a rate of 2.2 inches per year. This trend is not sustainable and poses a serious threat to the community.

Wenden has no access to the Colorado River and relies solely on groundwater, which is being drained faster than it can be replenished. Rob McDermott, who owns an RV park in Wenden, explains that it's challenging for small businesses to compete with megafarms that can afford to dig deeper wells. He mentions that his current 800-foot well cost $120,000 to dig, highlighting the financial burden on local businesses.

A recent study by Arizona State University (ASU) found that the rapid acceleration in groundwater usage in the Colorado River Basin is causing the area to sink. Jay Famiglietti, a lead researcher and ASU professor, explains that when water is extracted from aquifers, it's similar to air leaving a tire. In regions with clay minerals, the loss of water causes the flat minerals to stack up, leading to a lowering of the ground surface.

Devona Saiter, Gary’s wife, whose family has lived in Wenden since the 1960s, shares her concerns about the effects of groundwater depletion. Her shop has sunk in several places, resulting in gaps and cracks. The ASU study also revealed that nearly 80 percent of Arizona has no groundwater regulations, allowing corporate farms to operate without reporting their water usage.

Another challenge faced by residents is companies buying water and land usage rights in their communities and pumping the water elsewhere. Saiter expresses frustration, stating that it's unfair for someone to sell their water to a suburb so that it can be used for agriculture at their expense.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes recently filed a nuisance lawsuit against Fondomonte, a mega farming company, for causing harm to the community through its drilling activities. She claims that the company is drilling 15,000 to 2,000 feet into the ground, dewatering the aquifer and leaving others without water. Fondomonte argues that its water use is reasonable and that it makes a conscious effort to manage water use, but Mayes' office estimates that the company uses 81 percent of all groundwater in the area.

Foreign-owned megafarms have expanded significantly in Arizona, growing from around 1.25 million acres in 2010 to nearly three million acres in 2020, according to the US Department of Agriculture. This expansion raises concerns about the future of Arizona's agricultural sector and the sustainability of groundwater resources.

The ongoing depletion of groundwater in the Colorado River Basin poses a significant threat to communities across the state. As the demand for water continues to rise, the need for sustainable practices and effective regulation becomes increasingly urgent. The situation in Wenden serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unregulated groundwater extraction and the importance of finding solutions to protect both the environment and the livelihoods of those who depend on it.