Arizona Groundwater Basins

Map Description and Design Choices

For my final cartography project, I combined several techniques learned throughout the course to visualize Arizona’s groundwater basins alongside permitted recharge sources, land cover, and precipitation. The layout features one large main map supported by two smaller thematic maps, allowing viewers to examine water management information alongside environmental patterns across the state.

The main map establishes the visual hierarchy through its prominent placement and larger size. It displays groundwater basin boundaries in relation to major cities, highways, and rivers, providing geographic context and helping viewers locate familiar places. Basin colors represent the categories of permitted water sources associated with active underground storage facilities, distinguishing basins with multiple permitted sources, effluent-only sources, other surface water sources, and no mapped storage facility. Organizing this information by basin makes it easier to compare the distribution of permitted recharge sources across Arizona.

The two supporting maps provide additional environmental context by showing 2024 land cover classes and mean annual precipitation for 1991–2020. Repeating the groundwater basin boundaries across all three maps creates a consistent geographic reference, allowing viewers to compare environmental conditions within and between basins. The land cover map illustrates the distribution of forests, shrublands, agricultural areas, developed land, and other surface types, while the precipitation map reveals geographic differences in average annual rainfall. Their smaller size preserves the emphasis on the main map while complementing the groundwater information.

Color, figure–ground contrast, and texture help organize the map’s multiple layers. A muted terrain basemap extends across the layout, creating visual continuity while providing geographic context. Hillshade and partially transparent layers reveal landscape detail without overpowering the thematic information. Distinct colors differentiate the permitted recharge source categories and land cover classes, while a sequential light-to-dark blue color scheme represents increasing precipitation. These choices help viewers distinguish categorical information and recognize wetter and drier areas.

Labels and reference symbols further support visual hierarchy and orientation. Phoenix is emphasized with a larger label, while smaller labels identify other cities without competing with the basin boundaries. Blue rivers and subdued road symbols provide geographic reference while limiting visual clutter. Coordinated titles, legends, scale bars, and a north arrow help viewers interpret the maps and compare distances. Finally, source notes, data years, and projection information document the data and provide additional context for interpreting the mapped information.

Together, these design decisions integrate water management and environmental data into a cohesive layout, helping viewers explore how permitted recharge sources and environmental conditions vary across Arizona’s groundwater basins.

Data Sources: NLCD 2024
PRISM
ADWR
Groundwater Basins
Elevation data

Nicole Vicenti