Two years ago, voters in the Willcox basin turned down groundwater protections through an Active Management Area (AMA) because of an empty promise that the Arizona Legislature had a solution right around the corner.

Instead of solutions, what we got was 400 new high-capacity wells and alarming declines in groundwater storage — so low that the water table is now below the average well depth.

This is an emergency.

But things could change, now that the Arizona Department of Water Resources has announced that they are initiating an AMA.

Finally, there is now a path forward to locally manage our water supply, and to ensure long-term sustainability and security for family farms and local investments.

This is a huge inflection point.

I’ve been raising concerns about groundwater depletion for more than three years.

As a co-owner of Sonoran Wines, a small vineyard in the Willcox basin of Cochise County, we produce award-winning, small-batch wines that have earned a loyal........

© Arizona Republic