The objective of this study is to determine the effects of urban growth on water management in Arizona. This study is primarily based on publicly available information from the U.S Geological Survey, the Arizona Department of Water Resources, and the U.S Census Bureau. Using a mixed methods approach, the two variables -- urban growth, and water management - were analyzed to determine if there is any relationship between the two variables and policies that have been implemented. Using a qualitative approach, the assessment of secondary sources and regional journalist reportage were used to create a timeline of water management issues and the policies that were implemented. A quantitative method was used to determine the relationship between urban growth and water use through statistical analysis. First, population trends were examined to determine the growth rate. Next, decennial water usage were compared to establish if they were increasing or decreasing as the population trends changed. Lastly, the two variables were analyzed to determine if there was a relationship between the changes in urban growth and the changes in water use. The expected results of this study are to find a relationship between the increase in urban growth and the decrease in water levels. The goal of this study is to advise policy makers when making decisions that would benefit the population of the region that is being affected by poor water management.

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Nirmal Goswami

Department of History, Political Science and Philosophy