GLOBAL WARMING IN THE SOUTHWEST

An Overview presented by Dr. Michael Crimmins, Climate Science Extension Specialist, U of A

APRIL 28TH 6:30 P.M. BENSON CITY HALL

Presentation will address:

• How settled is the Science, how big the controversy?
• What are the projected changes in temperatures, precipitation, and impacts to water supply and the landscape?
• What is currently being done to reduce green house emissions?
• What can we do as individuals?

Major findings and projections are based on consensus of hundreds of scientists from the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Additionally, several key climate change studies published in 2008 and 2009 will be covered and discussed with respect to policy implications and adaptation strategies.

ADWR FACING DEBILITATING BUDGET CUTS

There is growing unrest and concern among constituents as proposed budget cuts to ADWR would require a cut up to 105 of their 182 employees in addition to the 50 vacancies that are currently frozen. With such limited staff, it is an impossibility for ADWR to protect Arizona's existing water supplies and provide sustainable water supplies for our future needs. A sustainable water supply is essential for economic recovery and growth.

A letter from ADWR Director Herb Guenther to the House and Senate addresses this "unprecedented budget crisis" that disportionally cuts ADWR's budget 56% below their FY 2008 budget while the rest of the state agency budgets average a 20% reduction.

ADWR is suggesting that their base budget be increased to $18.4 million and take $8.3 million directly for the Arizona Water Bank Authority Nevada resource account (incentive/insurance) account for the General Fund. An $18.4 million base budge for ADWR would represent a reduction of 20% consistent with other state agencies.

For those who have requested more specific information before writing your legislative representatives, we are providing a link to an ADWR Fact Sheet and the contents of Dr. Guenther's letter to the legislature.

ADWR Budget Fact Sheet

Director Letter to Legislators

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ARIZONA WATER INSTITUTE LOSES FUNDING

The Arizona State budget for year 2009 contains $142 million in cuts to the university system, with more reductions anticipated for 2010. As a result, University officials eliminated the Water Research Institute of the UA, ASU, and NAU.

AWI started operations in 2006 by planning and supporting research on some of the state's major water-supply issues and water-quality problems.

Some of the projects that were approved for this year will move forward, but over 15 will not - and all the funding from this fiscal year that remains will be returned to the state to help make up the deficit."

The UA has a separate Water Resources Research Center and ASU conducts research at its Global Institute of Sustainability.

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LOCAL SCIENCE STUDY UPDATES

Rural Water Well Use Study - Cooperative Extensions and U of A:

After a temporary "equipment" snag, plans are moving forward to install monitoring devices on volunteered-domestic wells throughout Cochise County.

In 2007, the UA Cochise County Co-operative Extension, the Water Resources Research Center, and SAHRA began recruitment of volunteer well owners to participate in this study to obtain information about this groundwater use. Only a few meters had been installed in a small sampling of wells before it was determined that an equipment adaptation was needed.

Investigators will now focus on completing the installation of over one hundred meters to collect data for a significant period of time to be useful to decision-makers. Data will not be presented in a format that will allow the identification of any site or home-owner, but rather will be presented in a category based on the characteristics of the group, e.g. lot size less than 2-acres, 3-4 people, etc.

Cochise County contributed $100,000 toward the project since it is difficult managing water resources without a realistic figure for water use by more than 11,000 private wells within the County. The current figure used is roughly 800 gallons per day per household of 2.5 people on 4-acre parcels.

USGS Isotope Expansion Study:

Data collection funded by Cochise County for 12 additional carbon-14 measurements has been completed within the Benson Sub-watershed.

Dr. Chris Eastoe from the U of A Geochem Lab reported that although the expanded data-set for the USGS Study has been collected, the interpretation will not be completed until later in the summer as to whether/where significant recent recharge to the regional aquifer.

As a deliverable for the funding support, CWA will host a public forum tentatively scheduled in August so that Dr. Eastoe and USGS representatives may present the results and be available to answer community questions.

Click here to review the Scope of Work and why such information is helpful.

USGS Hydrological Investigation in the Benson Subwatershed:

USGS continues the study to quantify the total water in storage, location and quantity of recharge and evaluate historical changes within the watershed. The Benson study is the only hydrologic investigation that is currently being funded by ADWR Rural Watershed Initiative. It is uncertain how the study will be modified with the new proposed cuts.

Click here for brief summary of time line and objectives.

Hydrologic Fact Sheet:

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BLM, The Nature Conservancy, CWA and other partners are meeting to finalize the logistics in monitoring nearly 120 miles of the San Pedro River from below the Mexican border to the town of Winkelman on June 20th.

Seven to eight teams of three volunteers each are being recruited for training in the Middle San Pedro area so that standardized use of GPS units and forms produce quality data. The wet/dry mapping dataset then historically tracks the river’s health by monitoring the persistence of surface water during the driest time of each year.

CWA has coordinated the efforts within the Middle San Pedro for three years, extending the ten-year program developed in the Sierra Vista Watershed by BLM and TNC.

Equestrians, ATVs, and hikers will be on the river from approximately 5:30 A.M. to approximately 11:00 A.M.- traveling stretches of the river varying from 3 to 8 miles across lands to which property owners provide permission.

Here is your opportunity to join this year's efforts. Volunteer for parts of the river seldom traveled where perhaps deer, javelina, teal, turtles, minnows, and lots of fresh track can be spotted. From intermittent water south of Benson, to dry white sands to the north, it makes for a great morning outing. Call 609-2738 or email watergroup@aol.com today.

Click here to go to 2008 Map Links.

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In February, CWA submitted its final report and received the last reimbursement check to officially close the Manzanita Erosion Control Project. Earlier, the eight property owners hosted a Field Day on the 180-acre site just south of Benson off Hwy 80 - sharing with the public the results of a 3-year learning lab made possible with an ADEQ Title 319 Grant. Click here for photos of the wagon train!

CWA managed the $ 47,400 project with property owners and volunteers, hosting workshops with hands-on training of Best Management Practices to prevent upland erosion and decrease sediment transport to the San Pedro River. The following "on the ground" projects were constructed as models for future individual projects.

• a 350' plus ' bank stabilization
• an appropriately-sized replacement culvert
• a nine-basket gabion structure to arrest head cutting,
• dirt road drainage interventions
• multiple grade stabilization structures such as loose rock
• check dams and wire sausages.

Property owners and CWA extend a major thank-you to the ADEQ Grant Management Team and partners who supplied materials, training, technical expertise, and encouragement until the very last rock was placed:

Dave Matthews and the NRCS team from Wilcox

Carmen Miller, Cado Daily from Cooperative Extension WaterWise

Rob Meyer from Maccaferri Gabions, Scottsdale

Bill Zeedyk from Zeedyk Ecological Consulting

Barbara Clark, The Nature Conservancy

Tom Whitmer, ADWR

Josh and Donnie, Lil Don's Diggin'

Mike Goodman, Mike Goodman Enterprise

Mark Lee, Rocking R Mercantile

Sandy Kunzer, Retired Geologist

Juddscape Landscaping

......in addition to the scores of Volunteers!!!!!!!!!

Click here for:

Pictorial Overview --- Gabion Basket Construction --- Road Drainage Interventions --- Final Field Day

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USDA-ARS PRESENTS EXCITING PROJECT TO CWA TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Dr. Phil Heilman, Agricultural Research Services, presented the CWA TAC team with an exciting proposal - a partnership to develop informational Google Flyover videos as an educational outreach tool for the Benson Subwatershed.

After viewing a demonstration, TAC saw the benefits first hand as they were technologically taken on a guided tour of the watershed in "a glass-bottomed helicopter to see how land ownership overlaid the watersheds in the Middle San Pedro" - never leaving the comforts of the conference room!

Being able to provide the equivalent of such a tour as a narrated video, accessible to anyone with a browser, would be instrumental in helping watershed stakeholders expand their understanding of natural processes and human activities beyond the specific locations with which they are most familiar to what is happening across the watershed as a whole.

CWA would like residents and interested parties to suggest topics for the list being created by TAC so items can be prioritized, expert resources identified, and scripts created.

First formal videos should be ready for the TAC LIBRARY and public viewing toward the end of June.

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RIPARIAN SPEAKER SERIES COMPLETED

March ended our Riparian Speaker Series - a program designed to help us better understand the challenges of balancing Human Demands and those of the Environment.

To prepare for the series, a task team developed a pictorial review of key resources suggested by members of the Upper San Pedro Partnership Technical Advisory Committee. Our foundation included the Hereford Report, The Changing Mile, and Ribbon of Green - all with specific information related to our area.

CWA wishes to thank the following resources and presenters as they built upon our foundation - each supplying a vital piece to an intricate puzzle.

ADWR - Linda Stitzer - Review of Water Budget Demands, Calculations for Riparian Needs, Difference between Safe and Sustainable Yields

ARS - Russ Scott - Water Needs of Riparian Vegetation

ASU, UA - Sharon Lite - Identification of perennial, ephemeral reaches, condition classes, and changes over time.

TNC - Peter Warren - Use of Conservation Easements to protect the health of Riparian Corridors and Watersheds - both physically and economically

UPPER SAN PEDRO WATER DISTRICT ORGANIZING BOARD - Holly Richter - An update on the progress of developing a pilot district tasked with managing water resources to balance both human and riparian demands.

THE MISSING PIECE - THE HUMAN BENEFIT OF ECOSYSTEMS - new research relevant to the San Pedro appears to be in the planning stages - Stay tuned for Quarterly E-Updates!

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MEMBERS PRIORITIZE TOPICS OF INTEREST

With the end of the Riparian Speaker Series, the CWA Steering Committee asked its membership to provide direction for the next year. Members were asked to identify and prioritize topics for which they would like more information.

The following list was presented to TAC for suggestions on experts in each area. The Steering Committee is now making contacts to schedule Guest Presenters for the remainder of 2009.

Starting with topic of greatest interest:

1. USGS Isotope Results

2. Green Building / Solar Power - how water is saved

3. BLM Management, Restoration Projects

4. Kartchner Caverns Ecological Evaluation Results, Graywater Opportunities, Rainwater Harvesting

5. Routine Well Maintenance, Stormwater Practices and Policies

6. Invasive Species Field Trip, City Water Policy/ Conservation Efforts

7. Human Benefits of Managing Ecosystems

8. Pruning Landscape Plants

The above list is dynamic - changeable depending upon new legislation, technology, management strategies, challenges, etc. impacting our watershed. Please contact us with your ideas.

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