Cochise County, AZ · Daily edition

Cochise County news for Thursday, October 22, 2026

2 stories from Cochise County, in about three minutes.

Community News · Cochise County

San Simon Farmers Seek Groundwater Protections Amid Depletion

Farmers in Arizona's San Simon Valley have petitioned the state to establish an Irrigation Non-Expansion Area (INA) to halt agricultural development that is depleting local groundwater. The Arizona Department of Water Resources formally acknowledged the petition in September, triggering a temporary ban on irrigating new farmland. This action follows a surge in well applications after neighboring basins adopted stricter controls, with officials estimating the aquifer loses 50,000 acre-feet more water annually than it replenishes. A pending legal challenge to similar INAs elsewhere in Arizona could jeopardize these protections if upheld.

Source: Tucson Sentinel Read the full story ↗

Community News · Willcox, AZ

Chiricahua National Monument Elevated to Arizona's Fourth National Park

President Trump signed the Chiricahua National Park Act into law Tuesday, elevating the 12,000-acre Chiricahua National Monument near Willcox in Cochise County to national park status. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum attended the designation ceremony at the site, which was originally designated a national monument in 1924 by President Calvin Coolidge. The change makes Chiricahua Arizona's fourth national park and the nation's 64th. Willcox Mayor Greg Hancock said he expects national park status to bring increased tourism and potential new business investment to the area. The National Parks Conservation Association expressed hope the upgrade could bring additional funding, noting the NPS workforce dropped by nearly 3,000 jobs last year.

Source: AZPM Read the full story ↗