Western Arizona Council of Government (WACOG)

WACOG is a voluntary association of rural local governments serving La Paz, Mohave, and Yuma counties, which total about 23,500 square miles, or 20 percent of the state’s total area, whereas the region’s population of 165,172 residents in 2010 represented only 6.5 percent of Arizona’s population. WACOG’s member entities include three counties and 10 municipalities. WACOG’s boundary is shown in figure 1-13.

The WACOG planning area is bordered by the Colorado River, California and Nevada to the west, by Utah to the north, and by Mexico to the south. Some cities along the Mexican border and other YMPO member cities have experienced significant growth. Additionally, the winter visitor population adds over 100,000 additional temporary residents to Yuma County. Several reservations are within the WACOG area including the Hualapai Tribe, the Colorado River Indian Tribes, and the Cocopah Tribe. This large geographical and racially diverse region presents challenges in planning, advocacy, and delivery of services to rural segments of western Arizona.