Eleven Reasons To Protect The Verde
To learn why the Verde River is so important to us, view a pdf of CWAG's monthly column in the Daily Courier, originally published September 2, 2016, but updated in 2022 by adding the eleventh reason.
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Climate Change & Groundwater Pumping - Big Chino Valley
The upper Verde is increasingly vulnerable to groundwater pumping and increasing aridity.
This 13 page semi-technical article presents evidence that climate change is now reducing the river flow:
View "Uppermost Verde River – Paradise Lost?" by Ed Wolfe, PhD Geologist. August 2022.
Babbitt: Big Chino, the Verde River: a time for action
Former Arizona governor Bruce Babbitt expresses his concerns about threats to the scenic Verde River from proliferating subdivision proposals and lot splits, industrial agriculture and especially from excessive pumping of water by Prescott and Prescott Valley.
To learn more, view a pdf of CWAG's column in the Daily Courier, published January 18, 2022.
We are anticipating Governor Babbitt's presentation at the CWAG meeting on Sat. Aug. 13, 2022
2022-02-12 Prescott‘s Surface Water Quality, Finding facts in murky waters
What’s up at Watson, Willow and Goldwater Lakes? How have changes in the regulatory landscape impacted the city’s stewardship of those lakes? Matt Killeen, the City of Prescott’s Environmental Coordinator, presented new and evolving information on the water quality of Prescott’s lakes and creeks, dispeled misinformation and discussed the city’s rainwater harvesting project at the Rodeo Grounds. A question and answer period followed the presentation.
2022-02-11 Water Quality in Prescott Lakes and Creeks from CWAGAZ on Vimeo.
Killeen reviewed the findings of a 2020 study of Watson Lake and discussed the city’s forthcoming remediation measures, including lake aeration, the introduction of herbivorous fish, and the application of nutrient binding clay. He also explained the critical relationship between Prescott’s creeks and its three man-made lakes and how citizens can help keep them clean by following proper disposal methods for animal waste, household chemicals, unused medications and yard debris that can find their way into a downstream waterbody.
In addition, Killeen reported on Prescott’s cooperative rainwater harvesting and aquifer recharge project at the Rodeo Grounds. The system has the capability to recharge up to 0.87 acre-feet annually and has the additional benefits of reducing the volume of stormwater generated from building rooftops and the amount of animal waste found in rainfall sheet flow.
Prior to joining the City of Prescott in 2016, Matt Killeen spent 15 years managing riparian nature preserves in southeastern Arizona and before that worked in fisheries in the Pacific Northwest and in Nepal.