Arizona Rivers

 “In this sometimes turbulent world, the river is a cosmic symbol of durability

and destiny; awesome, but steadfast. In this period of deep national concern,

I wish everyone could live for a while beside a great river.”

  –  Helen Hayes, American actor

We can’t disguise it.  This is an appeal for support.  But we’ll keep it brief.

You and I both know that Arizona’s environment has taken some big hits, policy-wise, in 2010.  The Arizona legislature raised the politics of distraction to a new (and highly unprofessional) level, drowning reason in a rising ocean of ideology.  Arizona’s parks and environmental protections suffered greatly at the hands of our legislature this session. 

The message couldn’t be clearer.  It’s going to be up to the citizens to protect our rivers.

And not a minute too soon.

In 2006, Shaun McKinnon and the Arizona Republic printed a scathing series on Arizona’s ruined rivers. 

Ruined.  Their word.  Sadly, it’s an apt description.

Since then, some things have gotten better.  And Arizona Rivers board members and staff have been hard at work.  Fossil Creek has been restored with full flows, native fish stockings, and multiple bankside clean-ups.  In 2009, this incredible stream received federal Wild and Scenic River designation, and a comprehensive resource management plan is in the works.  The Verde River gained national attention as an American Rivers “Most Endangered River” in 2006, and grassroots opposition to the Big Chino pipeline — as well as the economic slowdown — has put the biggest individual threat to the Verde on a back burner for the time-being.  Most recently, the U.S. Supreme Court gave Arizona’s rivers a boost by refusing to take the state’s side on the navigability issue, which means that the federal government can indeed protect rivers.

But too much hasn’t changed since the Arizona Republic report – and in some cases, things have even gotten worse.  The San Pedro River barely flows in the summer.  The Verde River is still facing the threat of depletion due to population growth, development, and diversion.  The Salt River is still dammed and is, in most places throughout the Phoenix area, a dry wash.  The Santa Cruz River through Tucson only flows in response to storms and sewage treatment plant returns.

Your support for Arizona Rivers could, in fact, change history for Arizona’s rivers.

Your support for Arizona Rivers could write a new story – one that profiles recovery, not ruination.

Please support Arizona Rivers.

We work for rivers, and we work for you.  We educate the public, and gather comments in support of greater river protections (as with the Fossil Creek Comprehensive River Management Plan expected in 2012).  We contribute commentary and technical information to the media, to blogs, and to investigative reporters throughout Arizona who cover river issues.  We continue to engage in the public process to protect the Verde River from the proposed Big Chino pipeline and other threats.  We build grassroots campaigns.

Over the next ten years, we’ll lead a collaborative “10 in 10” campaign with conservation partners and citizens from all over Arizona to single out 10 of Arizona’s imperiled rivers for special attention and protection through Wild and Scenic Rivers Act designation. Building this grassroots effort takes a steady flow of revenue – a river of support.  Please be as generous as you can.  Arizona’s rivers need you.

You can make your donation via Paypal on our Membership and Donations page. Checks can also be mailed to 1639 W. Roma Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85015.

Thank you, as ever, for your support and camaraderie!

Sincerely,

Michelle T. Harrington
Executive Director
michelle@arizonarivers.org

P.S. Please mark your calendars for Friday, August 5 at 5:30 p.m., for a special evening featuring the Verde River Exhibit and a reading by Thomas Lowe Fleischner from his new book “The Way of Natural History.” The event will be held at the lovely Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road. Hope to see you there! MAP

It’s been half a decade since the Arizona Republic printed a series of articles on the ruined rivers of Arizona, and not much has changed. The San Pedro River is still going dry (less than 1 cubic-foot/second at the Charleston stream gage with no rain in sight). The Verde River is still facing the threat of depletion due to population growth and development. The Salt River is still dammed and generally a dry wash through Phoenix. The Santa Cruz River through Tucson only flows in response to storms and sewage treatment plant returns.

Of course good things have happened, too. Fossil Creek received federal Wild and Scenic River designation in 2009 and has been restored with full flows, native fish stockings, and multiple bankside clean-ups. A comprehensive resource management plan for Fossil Creek is in the works. The Verde River gained national attention as an American Rivers “Most Endangered River” in 2006, and grassroots opposition to the Big Chino pipeline — as well as the economic slowdown — has put the biggest individual threat on a back burner for the time-being.

Much has yet to be done. Your interest in preserving rivers in Arizona is needed! And action speaks louder than words.

SUPPORT Arizona Rivers

PARTICIPATE in river clean-ups and restoration work – Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona is a great source

LEARN MORE about the rivers in Arizona that desperately need your help – starting with the Ruined Rivers series

Arizona Rivers and the Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter of the Sierra Club have teamed up with local photographer Gary Beverly and artist Edie Dillon to deliver a mixed-media interpretive exhibit to the Sedona Public Library for the months of June and July. The exhibit, titled, “The Verde River: Green Heart of Arizona – Endangered Desert Jewel,” celebrates this ecological and aesthetic treasure in Sedona’s backyard.

“The Verde River provides important habitat for people and wildlife alike,” said Sandy Bahr, Director for the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter. “This exhibit will help demonstrate the significance of this vibrant ecological corridor, how it is threatened, and what we can all do to help.”

Both Arizona Rivers and the Sierra Club-Grand Canyon Chapter host a variety of events to inform local citizens about threats to the Verde River that include groundwater pumping, destructive recreation, water pollution, and human population growth. The Verde has attracted the concern of national conservation organizations, including American Rivers, which included the river in its 2006 list of the country’s top 10 most endangered rivers.

“Projected population growth in the region will create an unmet demand for water of more than double the flow of the upper Verde River,” says Michelle Harrington, executive director of Arizona Rivers. “The City of Prescott’s plans to import water from the Big Chino aquifer – the Verde’s headwaters – could eventually destroy the upper river if it is not adequately mitigated. Clearly, though, Prescott’s pipeline is only part of a very large potential problem. The public must be involved in decisions about the Verde’s future, and that includes population growth and water resource planning.”

The library exhibit is installed on display panels placed at the front entry. The display tells the Verde’s story through words and images. Viewers are introduced to the diverse array of plants and animals that depend on the river, the myriad threats it faces, and the role the community can play in speaking up for our watershed and protecting the life blood of central Arizona, the Verde River.

The exhibit also includes a variety of ways the public can do its part to protect the Verde River. Recreationists are encouraged to practice the principals of “leave no trace,” and off-road vehicle users are encouraged to stay on legal trails and to learn about the way vehicle use impacts wildlife habitat and riparian vegetation. The public is also urged to visit the Verde, support Wild and Scenic designation for the upper river segment, practice personal water conservation, and encourage local officials to transition to a sustainable water economy.

The Verde River exhibit will remain on display at the Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Rd., Sedona, through mid-July. Library hours are Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and closed on Sunday. For more information contact Michelle Harrington at 602-628-9909.

Arizona Rivers is a nonprofit organization working to protect the state’s imperiled rivers and riparian habitats in support of diverse native fish communities, wildlife, plants, and human health and enjoyment.

The Sierra Club is a grassroots environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and supporters nationwide, 12,000 of whom reside in Arizona as part of the Grand Canyon Chapter. The Sierra Club mission is “to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; and to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environments.”

Fossil Creek is a recently restored tributary of the Verde River located north of Phoenix between Camp Verde and Payson/Strawberry and receives a large number of recreational users every summer. It flows between two national forests and through two wilderness areas — Fossil Springs Wilderness and the Mazatzal Wilderness — and is almost entirely within federal public lands.

Fossil Creek is one of only two Wild and Scenic Rivers designated in Arizona. Because of this designation, the Forest Service is required to identify and protect its outstandingly remarkable values (ORVs). The agency is currently working to create a management plan and is holding public meetings to solicit feedback. Additionally, a group of environmental stakeholders have written an alternative plan to better manage the native fish and aquatic habitat, wildlife, geology, history and traditional uses, and the water, and to emphasize these values in all areas of the creek.

Before Fossil Creek is loved to death, recreational use needs to be managed by controlling access, implementing limits on the number of users at one time, placing seasonal limits on the type of recreational opportunities available in the corridor, and paving parking areas. Managing the number of cars and people is imperative to address safety, resource damage, congestion, and lack of available areas for parking.

Fossil Creek open houses have been scheduled for the week of April 25. Please attend one of these meetings to learn more and to speak up for strong protections for this important waterway.

You can review the Proposed Action put forth by the Forest Service, which favors increasing recreation opportunities at the risk of native fish and other wildlife, as well as a proposed action developed by stakeholders, including Arizona Rivers, Center for Biological Diversity, and the Sierra Club. Both of these are available on the Fossil Creek website.

Sample letter in support of alternative proposal (please personalize with your experiences):
Dear Fossil Creek Planning Team,

Fossil Creek is a truly valuable natural resource and deserves increased management of recreation and long-term protection and monitoring. Therefore I strongly support the Proposed Alternative Scenario developed by Fossil Creek stakeholders.

The Alternative Scenario proposes prioritized management of fish, wildlife, geology, history/traditional uses, and water as Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) for the entire Wild and Scenic corridor. As a recently restored river system with restored native fish communities, the Forest Service should provide a strong emphasis on protecting native fishes and a commitment to maintaining the fish barriers that can help keep the non-native species from reinvading the stream. Water in the creek must be protected from groundwater pumping through quantified federal reserved water rights.

To maintain and enhance the natural resource ORVs, the Forest Service must insist on strong management of recreational use in the Wild and Scenic River corridor. In this regard, I support the Alternative Scenario. Unlike the Forest Service plan that limits visitors to shuttle buses during the summer months, the Alternative Scenario allows a limited number of recreational users to come and go as they please. Recreational use needs to be managed by controlling access, implementing limits on the number of users at one time, placing seasonal limits on the type of recreational opportunities available in the corridor, and paving parking areas. Managing the number of cars and people is imperative to address safety, resource damage, congestion, and lack of available areas for parking.

Because full implementation of a comprehensive resource management plan may take up to three years, current management–which includes camping and campfire restrictions–should continue.

Thank you for considering my comments and doing your utmost to protect this riparian treasure.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State ZIP]

How to Comment

Comments are welcome at all stages of the CRMP planning process, but to be most useful in developing alternatives to the current proposal, comments need to be received no later than May 6, 2011.

Comments may be submitted via the following methods:

• Given at the public open houses
• Email to: comments-southwestern-coconino@fs.fed.us – please put “Fossil Creek” in the subject line.
• Or Mail to:
  • Lynn Humphrey
    Fossil Creek Planning Team Leader
    4077 SW Research Way
    Corvallis, OR 97333
• Or Fax to: (541) 750-7234 (attention: “Lynn Humphrey”)

If you would like hard-copies of any of these documents, you can call or email a request to Lynn Humphrey, Fossil Creek planning team leader at 541-750-7158 or lhumphrey02@fs.fed.us.

The installation of the Viewerie exhibit in brief… (and FIRST attempt at a video slideshow.) More photos to come.

For Immediate Release, January 31, 2011

Contact:         Michelle Harrington, Arizona Rivers, (602) 628-9909

Library Exhibit Celebrates Verde River–Arizona’s Desert Jewel

PRESCOTT, Ariz.— Arizona Rivers and the Grand Canyon (Arizona) Chapter of the Sierra Club have teamed up with local photographer Gary Beverly and artist Edie Dillon to deliver a mixed-media interpretive exhibit to the Prescott Public Library for the month of February. The exhibit, titled, “The Verde River: Green Heart of Arizona – Endangered Desert Jewel,” celebrates this ecological and aesthetic treasure in Prescott’s backyard.

“The Verde River provides important habitat for people and wildlife alike,” said Sandy Bahr, Director for the Sierra Club’s Grand Canyon Chapter. “This exhibit will help demonstrate the significance of this vibrant ecological corridor, how it is threatened, and what we can all do to help.”

Both Arizona Rivers and the Sierra Club-Grand Canyon Chapter host a variety of events to inform local citizens about threats to the Verde River that include groundwater pumping, destructive recreation, water pollution, and human population growth. The Verde has attracted the concern of national conservation organizations, including American Rivers, which included the river in its 2006 list of the country’s top 10 most endangered rivers.

“Projected population growth in the region will create an unmet demand for water of more than double the flow of the upper Verde River,” says Michelle Harrington, executive director of Arizona Rivers. “The City of Prescott’s plans to import water from the Big Chino aquifer – the Verde’s headwaters – could eventually destroy the upper river if it is not adequately mitigated. Clearly, though, Prescott’s pipeline is only part of a very large potential problem. The public must be involved in decisions about the Verde’s future, and that includes population growth and water resource planning.”

The library exhibit is installed in the “Viewerie” along the back inside wall. Panels in the 42-foot display area tell the Verde’s story through words and images. Viewers are introduced to the diverse array of plants and animals that depend on the river, the myriad threats it faces, and the role the community can play in speaking up for our watershed and protecting the life blood of central Arizona, the Verde River.

The exhibit also includes a variety of ways the public can do its part to protect the Verde River. Recreationists are encouraged to practice the principals of “leave no trace,” and off-road vehicle users are encouraged to stay on legal trails and to learn about the way vehicle use impacts wildlife habitat and riparian vegetation. The public is also urged to visit the Verde, support Wild and Scenic designation for the upper river segment, practice personal water conservation, and encourage local officials to transition to a sustainable water economy.

The Verde River exhibit will remain on display at the Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., Prescott, through February 28. Library hours are Monday, Friday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Wednesday, 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.; and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information or for information about displaying the exhibit in another location, call Edie Dillon at (928) 277-9155.

Arizona Rivers is a nonprofit organization working to protect the state’s imperiled rivers and riparian habitats in support of diverse native fish communities, wildlife, plants, and human health and enjoyment.

The Sierra Club is a grassroots environmental organization with more than 1.3 million members and supporters nationwide, 12,000 of whom reside in Arizona as part of the Grand Canyon Chapter. The Sierra Club mission is “to explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the earth; to practice and promote the responsible use of the earth’s ecosystems and resources; and to educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environments.”

# # #

We had a great get-together last Thursday evening. Over fifty people came together with a representative of the Obama administration to talk about the challenges of and possible solutions for connecting people with America’s great outdoors.

Participants discusses AGO questions in breakout groups

If you couldn’t make it, it’s not too late!  Share your thoughts with us by September 12 to have them included in the Phoenix listening session report by sending us an email. Or inform the Administration by clicking here and registering a message. We’re working to emphasize that the Administration should: (1) Launch a Blueways Initiative to improve recreation and protect river corridors; (2) Designate more places as Wild and Scenic Rivers – specifically the upper Verde River here in Arizona; (3) Fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Arizona’s rivers need your help!

Click here to send us your comments today. Or click here to provide comments directly to the Administration.

More about Blueways that we’re working to create:

www.americanrivers.org/our-work/protecting-rivers/blue-trails/

More about the President’s “America’s Great Outdoors Initiative”:

www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/Americas-Great-Outdoors-Video.cfm

More about the Land and Water Conservation Fund:

www.nps.gov/lwcf/

More photos from 9/2/2010 AGO Listening Session

As we mentioned before, the Obama Administration has launched an initiative called America’s Great Outdoors. Right now, representatives of the administration are listening to the public to figure out exactly what the initiative will do to promote outdoor activity and reconnection Americans to nature.

We’re eager to get our supporters – those who want strong river protection – to the listening session. Please plan on attending the meeting, and bring your friends and fellow advocates with you.

There are rarely such important opportunities to move forward on our mission and protect the rivers we hold dear. Previous similar processes have led to the creation of national parks, protection of the Grand Canyon, and designation of dozens of national monuments. In their own words, the administration aims “to develop a conservation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors.”

We are asking the Administration to: (1) launch a new Blue Trails Initiative to improve recreation and protect river corridors; (2) designate more places as wild and scenic rivers and as wilderness; and (3) fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a national matching fund for parks and conservation.

The listening session will be a fun and informative gathering. We’ll provide refreshments and get your input on the official questions the administration has, as well as your thoughts on other key issues. Members of the administration will be present to hear the results of the session. Two hours of your time can help shape river protections for decades!

We hope to see you there!!

Meeting details

Where: The Phoenix Zoo Pavilion, 455 N Galvin Parkway, Phoenix

When: Thursday; September 2, 2010; 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

So we can plan appropriately, please RSVP to phxoutdoors@gmail.com or call (602) 628-9909.

You can watch the president’s address introducing this initiative here.

You can also read a pdf of the initiative memorandum signed by the president on April 16th here.