A Struggle for Water in Wenden, Arizona
The town of Wenden, Arizona, has been sinking steadily over the past 80 years—by more than 18 feet—without any sign of stopping. Locals often mention that large agricultural operations are draining the land.
This unincorporated community, situated about 60 miles away from the Colorado River reservation, has resorted to drilling down thousands of feet to access groundwater.
While many towns face different challenges, those along the Colorado River find themselves in a struggle for its dwindling water supply.
Wenden, similar to major cities like Los Angeles and Phoenix, relies on the Colorado River for about 38% of its water, but it consumes even more than that.
As groundwater becomes increasingly inaccessible, the remaining water supply in Wenden seems to be evaporating into thin air, leaving little for the community.
“It’s like a train wreck waiting to happen,” remarked Gary Sitter, who heads the Wenden Water Improvement District. He noted, “In the last 15 years, Wenden has sunk into a sinking bowl. We’ve lost over 3.5 feet, and we’re sinking another 2.2 inches a year. It’s just not sustainable.”
In the 2010s, foreign-owned mega farms expanded their land from 1.25 million acres to around 3 million acres, compounding these issues.
Despite the ongoing digging of deeper wells, large-scale agricultural operations are caught in a cycle that threatens these resources, endangering the community’s future.
A recent study from Arizona State University indicated that this sinking condition is linked to the rapid groundwater usage in the Colorado River basin.
Jay Famiglietti, the lead researcher from ASU, explained, “The land sinks as water is extracted; it’s like a tire losing air.” He elaborated that when the water between minerals disappears, it results in ground lowering.
Even more troubling is ASU’s finding that nearly 80% of Arizona lacks regulations on groundwater usage. This absence of rules allows corporations to use significant amounts of water without accountability.
Moreover, there are concerns that this could open the door for businesses to acquire water and land rights in communities like Wenden, diverting resources elsewhere.
Amid these challenges, Arizona Attorney General Chris Mays has filed a lawsuit against Fondamonte, a mega farm responsible for excessive drilling that has harmed Wenden.
Fondamonte, owned by Saudi Arabia’s largest dairy company, is known for cultivating alfalfa that requires a substantial water supply. “The water is disappearing as it’s extracted; we intend to manage its use responsibly,” they stated through NBC News.
The office of Mays estimates that Fondamonte will consume around 81% of the area’s groundwater.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, foreign-owned mega farms have seen their acreage expand dramatically in recent years. Arizona legislators have attempted—with limited success—to create groundwater regulations for rural regions.
During the 2025 legislative session, Governor Katie Hobbs proposed establishing a rural groundwater management area. However, reaching consensus on how to adjust groundwater extraction has proven difficult, with differing views from both sides of the political aisle.
