Kingman, Arizona has an old-school vibe. Route 66 runs through the heart of downtown. Retro neon signs advertise motels and diners and an annual classic car festival draws people from all over. But over the past decade, big changes have come to the area.

Farms have sprouted up in the middle of the desert, growing thirsty crops, like alfalfa and nuts. And studies showed the area’s groundwater was rapidly depleting. 

Local leaders in Kingman worried they’d run out of drinking water. So officials pursued an unexpected solution for such a rural and conservative place — they asked the state to intervene and pass strict regulations limiting irrigation, something that hasn’t been done in Arizona in 40 years. 

The move pitted farmers and ranchers against local officials, neighbors against neighbors, and raised challenging questions about the trade-offs between economic growth and sustainability. 

This week, we bring you the twisty story of the rules that have splintered a community and the elusive forces that are fighting against the new restrictions.