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Yavapai Group, Grand Canyon Chapter, Sierra Club
Newsletter December '08
Regional Transportation Plan: Population Goes Wild
by Gary Beverly
Two governmental agencies, Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) and Central Yavapai Municipal Planning Organization (CYMPO) have been conducting public meetings to develop transportation plans through 2050. ADOT is preparing statewide plans, CYMPO is developing plans for western Yavapai County. Tom Slaback and I have participated in several public meetings for each agency and offered extensive comments.
Population
Both agencies are basing plans on population projections that are truly scary: by 2050 a continuous urban corridor between Dewey and Seligman will house 1.3 million people. That's the current population of Tucson. The road system needed to support this hoard is enormous. We questioned ADOT on the source of that estimate; what is the evidence that supports that kind of growth projection? The ADOT planners responded that they asked local governments what population they expected; they have not verified or critically examined those numbers. They have not asked if resources - water, for example - will support that many people. They have merely proceeded to plan for the roads.
Speaking of resource issues, consider some very rough back of the envelope estimates of water consumption: if 1.3 million people each use 150 gallons of water per day, we'll use 220,000 acre-ft/yr, which would drain the entire Big Chino aquifer (and the Verde River) in maybe 10 years. Clearly, this is nonsense!
Our concern is that wild projections can take on a life of their own, that they define expectations and then create that reality. If we plan infrastructure for 1.3 million, we will probably gather them.
Is this what our community wants? When was this community asked for it's vision of the future? If you ask any room of people in the tri-cities area if they moved here to live in the middle of "Tucson-North", I'll bet you that not one person will raise their hand! So where did this eye-popping estimate come from? We don't know, but we are going to find out.
ADOT: State Plan (www.bqaz.gov)
At it's first public meeting this spring, ADOT presented a transportation plan for Northern AZ based on expanded use of personal vehicles and 1.3 million people. From Seligman down to Dewey the map was crossed with an impressive maze of arterials, freeways, squiggles, dotted lines, etc. They were advised to create some alternative plans that did not rely exclusively on personal vehicles and a major urban sprawl. ADOT responded to that guidance at the second public meeting held last month. Three alternative plans were presented: "A" relied on cars, "B" relies less on cars and more on public transit (rail, bus, and bike), and "C" assumed a mix of A and B with cities focussing on smart growth rather than expanding into sprawl. We offered the Sierra Club preference for alternative "C". We strongly challenged the population projection that is the basis of the plans. We strongly rejected all new routes that cross the Verde River.
CYMPO Plan (www.cympo.com)
CYMPO is selecting routes for a 4 lane divided controlled access (freeway) connecting Hwy 169 east of Dewey to Paulden, then continuing onto Ash Fork in 2030. Our main concern is that these routes minimize destruction/fragmentation of habitat, and that they do not cross the Verde River; The Nature Conservancy studied the habitat issue and we support their position. CYMPO was preferring route CV8 (see the maps on the website). When the citizens of Rimrock, an exclusive horse property subdivision near the confluence of Granite Creek and the Verde River, discovered that route CV8 crossed Granite Creek just yards from their homes by cutting mountaintops and filling valleys, then leaping across the Verde River at Stillman Lake with a spectacular bridge, they were mighty angry. Property values have been damaged just by the suggestion of the possibility of the route; a neighborhood meeting directed some strong words at CYMPO planners. The Sierra Club submitted a strong comment suggesting that CV8 be modified to terminate at Hwy 89 near Rd5N or Rd6N in Chino Valley, that no road should cross the Verde River, that the Rimrock area environment be left alone, and that CYMPO prepare alternative plans similar to ADOT.
We know that these transportation issues are far in the future, and that we all have pressing concerns and problems right now. BUT: if planners select inappropriate highway routes now, we may be stuck with that reality. We urge citizens to participate in these community planning efforts.
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Update: Prescott's Pipeline Plan
By Gary Beverly
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In the last issue, I described the objections filed with Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to Prescott's plan to pump the Big Chino Aquifer. Now, ADWR has made their decision: Prescott has been issued a permit to pump about 8000 acre-feet annually (afa), only slightly less than the approximately 9000 afa that they requested. ADWR ruled against the objectors on nearly every issue.
This kind of ruling was expected. ADWR was handed a hot potato issue that was predestined for lawsuits and eventual resolution through the courts, so they interpreted their legal authority in the narrowest possible manner and rid themselves of the problem as quickly as possible. This is merely the first step in a long series of legal maneuvers, challenges, and lawsuits that will continue for at least the next four years. The next step, which is now in process, is for objectors to appeal ADWR's ruling to the Administrative Law Court.
Prescott is proceeding to secure pipeline utility easements from residents in Paulden area. At this time they have approximately 20 (128 needed) agreements pending Council approval.
Why is the Sierra Club involved in this issue? Our only concern is that the Verde River is protected, which includes the base flow provided by Verde Springs that supports the riparian habitat. Without Verde Springs, there is no river. Prescott has reported that their pumping will lower the water level in the Big Chino by 600 feet - from 4600' (roughly 100' below ground surface) down to 4000 ft above sea level. Verde Springs is approximately 4300 ft. Therefore, using Prescott's numbers, pumping the Big Chino will drain groundwater away from Verde Springs; the Upper Verde River is doomed to become a dry wash in a few decades. The river has been there for a hundred thousand years...
To learn more:
- Hike the river with us!
- Contact Citizen's Water Advocacy Group (CWAG) at
http://www.cwagaz.org/aboutus.html#member
- Read the newspapers: The pumping/pipeline project has had piecemeal coverage from local daily newspapers. A local independent news magazine, Read It Here (now defunct) published an excellent series of articles on the pipeline plan written by Candace McNulty. These stories are still available online here: http://www.readitnews.com/component/option,com_comprofiler/task,userProfile/ user,65/
- Read excellent article in High Country News: http://www.hcn.org/issues/346/17001
- Support the Sierra Club (http://arizona.sierraclub.org) and the local Yavapai Group. The current and past issues of the Canyon Echo can be downloaded at http://arizona.sierraclub.org/echo/index.asp.
- Support The Center for Biological Diversity (www.savetheverde.org)
This page was last updated on May 26, 2009