Upper Verde River, Gary Beverly photo
Leaders:
Executive Commitee & Contacts
Your questions answered, call or e-mail us:
Chair: Tom Slaback, (928) 778-4233
Vice Chair: Carolyn York: (928) 541-1952
Secretary: Joe Wenzel, (928) 771-0838
Treasurer (acting): Joe Wenzel
Political: Bob Grossman (928) 778-4919
Member Doris Cellarius, (928) 778-6724
Committee Chairpersons
Conservation: Tom Slaback
Membership: Doris Cellarius
Outings (acting co-chairs): Carolyn York, Gary Beverly (928) 636-2638
YAVAPAI GROUP
Grand Canyon Chapter, Sierra Club
The Verde River Water Sentinels has purchased a second flow meter and it is now located in Prescott. We will now need volunteers to form a second monitoring team to measure stream flow at the three upper Verde sites on a monthly basis. Every other month the Sentinels collect chemical and biological samples for laboratory analysis and take flow measurements at seven sampling sites between the headwaters and Beasley Flat. In alternate months we measure flow only at the upper three sites. Now that we have the new flow meter, we will need to have two teams taking flow measurements on the months we collect water samples, cutting the work time in half. Our next flow monitoring of the upper three sites will take place in mid to late March. If you are interested in volunteering to help save the Verde River from the pressures of local over-development, please contact Tom Slaback at PrescottKid@peoplepc.com or (928)778-4233.
The Executive Committee of the Yavapai Group meets the first Wedsnday of the month at 6 PM (Mar 5, Apr 2 and May 7). All Sierra Club members are invited to attend. For location and information contack Tom Slaback.
The Yavapai Group General Public meeting will be held April 30 (Wed), 6:45 - 8:45 PM in the Founders Room of the Prescott Public Library (215 E. Goodwin St., use west entrance, bottom floor.) Light refreshments will be provided.
TREASURER: We need a volunteer to serve as the full time group treasurer. Contact Tom Slaback.
FILM NITE: A new year of our monthly film nites will begin on March 12. We have a social hour and food the first hour followed by the movie. Afterwards we discuss the movie. Stay tuned for the announcement of film titles and place of showing and dates. If you have or know of an environmentally themed movie that you think we should show, contact Tom Slaback.
Outings:
Learn about the issues that potentially affect the flow and water quality of the Verde River on these Yavapai Group sponsored day hikes.
Feb 23 (Sat) Stillman Lake "C" (3 mi., 200 ft. EC) Entering with permission through private property we will hike down to Granite Creek on a trail, and follow the creek to its confluence with the Verde River. Then upstream along the shores of Stillman Lake to view birds (bald eagles a possibility) and petroglyphs. Time permitting, we may walk downstream into the new Nature Conservance property to look for otter and beaver. We will meet in Chino Valley at 10:30 AM. For reservations and information contact Gary Beverly at (928)636-2638 or gbevpurch@cableone.net.
Mar 15 (Sat) Hell Point-Upper Verde River "B" (3 mi., 400 ft. EC) Carpool two miles on rough roads (high clearance or 4x4) to Hell Point and then, on foot, bushwack down to the Verde River at the confluence of the Verde, Hell, and MC canyons. View an old ranch ruin, big trees, tall cliffs, and riparian habitat. Look for endangered fish. Bring lunch. 10:30 AM departure. Contact info as above.
Apr 5 (Sat) Woodchute Mountain "B" (7mi., 400 ft. EC) Meeting at 10:: AM, we will hike a good trail through the Wilderness to the top of Woodchute Mountain. There will be numerous views of the Verde River watershed, Bill Williams Mountain, the San Francisco Peaks, Sycamore Canyon, the Verde Valley and the red rocks of Sedona. Keep a look out for a super tall, straight trunked alligator juniper tree. Bring lunch and water. Contact information as above.
Prescott National Forest General Plan Revision Vision
A group of local organizations (see list below) has been meeting over the past several months to develop a community vision for the Prescott National Forest and surrounding landscape in the Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley area. On November 5th, 2007 they held a public meeting – attended by 95 community members – to find out what the community envisions for the future of the forest in this area. Based on the results of this meeting, this organizing group developed a draft vision that they would now like to share with the wider community for feedback and validation. The link below will take you to a simple online survey where you are asked for your level of agreement with each element of this draft vision. It should only take 5-20 minutes of your time, and all responses are completely anonymous.
Your input will be extremely helpful in determining which vision elements to maintain, modify or eliminate. This is the community’s vision for the future of your forest!
To begin the survey
Please click on: Online
Survey. (a
link is also posted on www.swdresources.com)
If you have any trouble accessing the survey, or other questions, please contact the independent visioning facilitation team – Southwest Decision Resources - at info@swdresources.com. The survey will be open through March 14, 2008.
Survey Results
If you are interested in seeing the online survey results-to-date,
please click on: Survey
Results.
Or go to www.swdresources.com and click on "Survey results-to-date". Combined results for the online and hard copy surveys will be posted on the SDR website in mid-March.
Community Meeting: You are invited!
The final Prescott Landscape Vision
will be presented and next steps discussed at the upcoming community
meeting:
" Your Forest Vision and the Way Forward"
April 17, 2008, 6:00-8:30 p.m. at the Highlands Center (1375 S. Walker
Rd. Prescott, AZ)
Local Issues:
-
ENVIRONMENT DAMAGED AT LOEWS CONSTRUCTION SITE: You may have seen this work in progress on Highway 69 East of Prescott. The 9 springs that feed the riparian area running through Prescott Canyon Estates, flowing into Granite Creek, have been reduced and at times eliminated due to the construction at the Loew's site. This has also caused flooding down the creek resulting in road, culvert, and sewer damage through the Estates when drainage off the site has overflowed their retaining wall creating a waterfall; and flooding going across Hwy 69 from the hillside erosion, adding even more storm runoff through the culvert. Letters are needed to be sent to the Prescott City Engineer and the Army Corps of Engineers requesting on the ground inspection. In December, during a two week period, three sections of the wall facade on the sixty foot tall fill collapsed. This month an additional section collapsed.
Contact Tom Slaback (see above) for more information. -
SUPERFUND CLEANUP NEEDED FOR IRON KING MINE SITE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently contacted Governor Napolitano saying they would like to list the Iron King Mine and smelter site in Humboldt for federal clean up under Superfund. The Yavapai Group of the Grand Canyon Chapter has written to Gov. Napolitano urging her to agree to this listing. Her agreement is necessary for the site to be cleaned up by EPA.
EPA's Expanded Site Investigation found that contamination from the site has migrated into residential areas and has impacted both the groundwater and surface water in the area. Arsenic and lead contaminate millions of tons of tailings adjacent to the Ironite fertilizer plant, the waste rock pile at the Kuhles property, and mining waste at the smelter. Severe episodes of blowing dust from the Ironite tailings piles have worried the Humboldt community for years. EPA proposed this listing because although the state has issued notices of violations, there has been little compliance. Until the sources of contamination identified by EPA have been cleaned up, a healthy future for the Humboldt community cannot be assured. Listing on the Environmental Protection Agency's National Priority List would provide the Humboldt community with the benefits of a more comprehensive investigation and cleanup, increased public participation, availability of federal technical assistance grants, federal health studies, and implementation of innovative cleanup technologies. For more information contact Doris Cellarius (see above).
Please contact the Governor indicating your support for an EPA cleanup: Phone toll Free 1-(800) 253-0883; e-mail: http://azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp; or write Office of the Governor, 1700 West Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 85007 -
URANIUM MINE PROPOSED FOR YAVAPAI COUNTY:
Anderson Mining Company of Wickenburg, AZ, is proposing a conventional uranium mill near the Anderson Mine in Western Arizona. Concentric Energy Corp. is planning to develop the Anderson mine and build a uranium mill on site. A pre-licensing meeting was held by the NRC on June 6, 2006. According to Concentric Energy Corp., former site owner Unocal was planning a huge open pit mine and intended to mine 500 million tons of waste rock and leave a huge hole. Yavapai County does not need another toxic uranium mill such as those located in Tuba City and Moab. The Yavapai Group will sponsor a field trip in October to the site, which is located near the Santa Maria River, Peeples Canyon and the Arrastra and Tres Alamos Wilderness. -
VERDE RIVER RANKED AMONG AMERICA'S "MOST ENDANGERED RIVERS"
The Upper Verde was ranked #10 on American Rivers "2006 Annual List" Click here for more information... -
LOCAL WATER QUALITY:
Yavapai Group Water Sentinels monitor the waters of Granite Creek and its tributary streams. They work with the Club's Verde River Sentinesl to test water in the Verde River. We need more volunteers to help. Contact Doris Cellarius (928-778-6724) or Tom Slaback (see above) for information. -
DRAKE CEMENT PLANT
A limestone quarry and coal-fired cement plant are planned North of Prescott near Paulden. Construction of the kiln located on private property has begun. The Prescott National Forest is negotiating its permit with a Peruvian cement firm. Mercury emissions from the plant threaten water quality as cement plants are very poorly regulated by EPA and the state. -
THE BOUNDARY PROJECT:
Monitoring contiues to make sure the Boundary Project properly protects the urban interface from forest fires and does not log deeper into the Prescott National Forest. -
BIG CHINO JWK WATER RANCH & VERDE RIVER IMPACT
The Yavapai Group particpates in local and regional meetings to advocate wise planning and prevent extractions of groundwater that threatend the environment and the Verde River. RESOLUTION: THE YAVAPAI GROUP OF THE SIERRA CLUB OPPOSES ANY NEW LAND ANNEXATIONS IN THE TRI-CITY AREA UNTIL THE PRESCOTT AMA (ACTIVE MANAGEMENT AREA) IS IN SAFE YIELD. Adopted December 1, 2004. -
SNOW BOWL ARTIFICIAL SNOW USING TREATED EFFLUENT:
Treated sewage effluent, which contains hundred of unregulated environmental and public heath pollutants, is to be used to create artificial snow for the beneift of the Snobowl ski resort near Flagstaff. Sewage treatment does not remove them, though their ecological threats have been documented. Sierra Club opposes this for these reasons and because it would desecrate this site sacred to Native Ameircans. Latest news: The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the local Federal Court decision and, for the moment at least, the Forest Service Permit is denied. -
GRANITE DELLS LAKE:
We are monitoring efforts to restore damage done to the riparin areas. -
BELLA TERRA-OAK CREEK DEVELOPMENT:
Sierra Club presented testimony against the preferred effluent disposal site, which would damage water quality in Oak Creek. Click each date to read the January 29, 2007 and February 28, 2007 press releases on this issue. -
PRESCOTT DUMPING SEWAGE SLUDGE AT HEADWATERS OF THE VERDE RIVER IN PAULDEN: Prescott City contractor Southwest Land Reclamation is dumping city sewage sludge at four locations along waterways outside of the Prescott city limits. It took FOIA requests at the state level to determine where Prescott's sludge was being dumped: at the confluence of Big Chino and Williamson Valley washes, on both sides of the Verde River below Camp Verde and along Ash Creek near the I17 Dugas Interchange. ADEQ inspected the Ash Creek site and found the contractor to be in violation of the law. They have since inspected the Verde River headwaters site and released their report listing several violations. They did find that the sludge field was sited at a legal distance from the Big Chino Wash. In January and February the Big Chino overflowed the sludge field, washing sewage sludge into Sullivan Lake and down the Verde River. Yavapai County lists this field as being within a 100 year floodplain and rates it class A, that which is most at risk for flooding. There have been spills on the road and it goes into the air when it is tilled into the silt, with much of it remaining on the surface. In wet years the area becomes a bog with water backing up the wash, under highway 89 from Sullivan Lake. We are currently monitoring the Verde River for nitrogen, phosphate, and E.coli.as part of the Verde River Water Sentinels Project. During February's monitoring we added the Big Chino Wash, along the sludge field, and Sullivan Lake to our chemical and biological testing.
This page was last updated on 02/18/2008