This paper examines the extent to which environmental water needs, especially the needs of riparian habitats, have both been recognized and neglected in Arizona water law. Arizona manages surface water and groundwater under two different legal regimes, which ultimately lets environmental water fall between the cracks. Environmental water, the forgotten sector, demands a redevelopment in legal framework to prevent further degradation of Arizona's riparian vegetation, streambed, and habitats, which have altered hydrological patterns and significantly reduced environmental quality.