Volunteers Needed for Cochise County Groundwater Study

Nobody knows how much water these wells pump or what it’s used for. Yet accurate information on pumpage is vital for planning the future, developing fact-based water policy and planning, and making certain our water resources are sustainable.

The University of Arizona Cochise County Cooperative Extension, the SAHRA Center, and the Water Resources Research Center are conducting a study to estimate pumping levels and patterns of water use in domestic wells in Cochise County.

Volunteer well owners are being recruited county-wide to participate in the study to obtain critical information about this groundwater use.

Researchers and educators from the University of Arizona are conducting a study of individual domestic well water use in Cochise County, and the success of the study depends on the willingness of well owners like you to participate. Participation is voluntary and steps have been taken to ensure that all results are completely confidential.

A representative sample of 250 wells will be selected for the study. If you agree to participate and your well is selected for the study, the University of Arizona will install a water meter on your well's pressure tank, and a data logger that will electronically send the meter readings to us. This means that after the meter and logger are installed, no one will have to come to your property unless the device fails. If that happens, someone will make arrangements to replace or un-install the water meter.

As a token of our thanks for your contribution to improving regional understanding of domestic water well use, all participants will be offered an electronic tipping bucket rain gauge installed on their property.

Your individual water usage will remain strictly confidential. It will not be released to Cochise County, or to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, or to any other government agency or organization or persons outside the data collection team.

Information collected from each well will be combined with those of other well owners who take part in this study and analyzed as a data set. The focus of the study is to develop statistics about totals, averages, and ranges of well pumping, not information that can be traced back to any well, individual, or specific property location. In other words, the information we obtain from your well will not be released.

The study will begin this winter, and will last for 18 to 24 months. Study information and general results will be posted on this web site.

In order for us to select a representative sample of the wells in Cochise County, we ask that you complete the survey by clicking on the button below. Someone on the study team will contact you to let you know if you have been selected into the study, and if so, to arrange for installation of the equipment.

If you would like more information about the study, please email Susan Pater (spater@ag.arizona.edu).

We hope you will offer to participate. Thank you in advance for helping us with this important study!

If you think you might be interested, please click on the link at top left..

Study Faqs

How will the groundwater use data be obtained?
A meter will be installed on the water line supplying the participant's property. After the study is completed, the water meter will become the property of the well owner.
How will the data be used?
Information collected from each well will be aggregated with those of other well owners who take part in this study and analyzed as a data set. The focus of the study is to develop statistics about well pumping (totals, averages, ranges), not information on individual wells or properties.
Your individual water usage will remain strictly confidential. It will not be released to Cochise County, to the Arizona Department of Water Resources, or to any other government agency or organization or persons outside the data collection team. Volunteers will sign an agreement that ensures their rights to privacy.
How is the program funded?
Funding for this program was provided by Cochise County and the Technology and Research Initiative Fund (TRIF), administered by the Arizona Board of Regents, through a grant from the University of Arizona Water Sustainability Program (WSP). WSP provides science-based technical, economic, and policy expertise necessary for water development, use, and conservation in Arizona. WSP aims to strengthen research, outreach, and education efforts in the water resource area at the University of Arizona to help ensure a sustainable, high-quality water supply for economic development and enhanced quality of life for all of Arizona.
How long will the study last?
18 to 24 months.
How many wells will be sampled?
Approximately 250
How will the metering work?

Can I read the meter during the study?
Yes, if you want. The meter outputs a digital signal so it can be read remotely, but it also has a standard meter face.
What happens to the meter at the end of the study?
The meters and rain gauges will be the property of the University of Arizona until the end of the study. After that, the home owner can keep them.
What if the meter needs maintenance or repair during the study? Will someone come to fix it?
Yes, at the time of installation you will be given contact information in case you have any problems with the meter.
What if I want to end my participation or I sell my property before the study is finished?
Simply contact our study team and we will assist you.
Where and when will I be able to find results from the study?
The results will be posted on this University of Arizona web site, as well as being available in hard copy by request from Cochise County Cooperative Extension. The results will not be presented in a format that will allow the identification of any site or home-owner. Look for preliminary results beginning in the first quarter of 2009.