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Yavapai Group, Grand Canyon Chapter, Sierra Club
Newsletter April '09
Prescott Water Wars: Dueling Hydrologists
By Gary Beverly
While the Upper Verde River flows through riffles and pools from Verde Springs to Clarkdale, while spring greens the banks with sedges, flowers, and cattails, and while the birds return to nest, we are sitting in a courtroom trying to save the Verde.
After the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) approved the City of Prescott's scheme to mine water from the Big Chino Aquifer (BCA), which provides 86% of the Upper Verde base flow, myself and two colleagues appealed (we gratefully acknowledge substantial legal support from SRP) to the courts. Dozens of other locals, plus the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club also filed appeals. The hearings began in February and will resume April 13-15 in Prescott.
We are speaking for the River.
We've got a dozen lawyers pounding on the tables debating the legal minutia of laws predating a modern ecological awareness of the Verde River - a legal tornado of complaints, responses, motions, and objections. ADWR only cares about its rules; it has yet to utter a word of concern for the Verde River. Prescott only wants to win the water; it promises no harm the river but it ignores science, hires consultants who tend to tell their client what it hoped to hear, and refuses to commit to a mitigation plan. "Trust us", they say. Yeah, right.
In 1993 a Bureau of Reclamation study (funded by Prescott!) concluded that the BCA was hydrologically connected to Verde Springs and that Prescott's water withdrawals would diminish Verde base flow and harm biota. However, Prescott's hired gun hydrologist now maintains that 100 years of pumping will have no effect on the river.
In the hearing, SRP released preliminary results from a careful and complete groundwater model including the entire BCA and Verde Springs. These scientific results show Verde Springs declining from 29 cfs in 1940 (predevelopment condition) to 22 cfs currently, to as low as 7 cfs in 2110, less than 1/4 of the historic flow. Water mining past 2110 will completely dry the springs; the upper 25 miles of the river will become a dry wash, an intermittent stream occasionally flushing debris downstream.
Prescott politicians ignore science, demonstrating yet again how the development imperative trumps rationality. Prescott uses anti-science rhetoric (Mayor Wilson called us "Eco-Nuts") and cherry-picks facts to suit their biases.
Arizona conservationists have already seen this movie. The Santa Cruz River is a dry wash with blowing sand; the San Pedro is struggling for life. The Upper Verde is next on the guillotine.
The River has flowed for 2 million years. We should not destroy it in mere decades.
The Verde is the last continuous free flowing river in Arizona, supporting over 500 species of birds and ten species tracked by the Endangered Species Act through 150 miles of continuous riparian habitat. It interconnects 4 wilderness areas, one proposed wilderness, two Wild & Scenic Rivers and one state park, a green artery pulsing through 350,000 acres of protected habitat ranging from 2000' to 7667' elevation.
We are determined that the Upper Verde will not be destroyed by rampant population growth, by enriching developers who leave town with all the money, leaving citizens with a diminished quality of life.
Save the Verde!
Pipeline Update: News Items
By Gary Beverly
New Local Alliance:
Do you recall that last January 28 we participated in a community forum "The Big Chino Pipeline and the Verde River", presented by an alliance of Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity, Audubon, and CWAG? That event was extremely successful, plus we enjoyed working together with our conservationist friends. Due to the success of our joint effort in raising public awareness to threats to the Verde River, we are continuing to work together as an alliance to protect the Verde River. We are confident that working together, we are far stronger and even more effective. We are open to the participation of other groups sharing our goal.
Verde Panel:
The first joint effort of the new Upper Verde Alliance was to present a panel (similar to Jan 28) for the Verde River Citizens Alliance. The even, held in Cottonwood on April 4, was a great success with about 150 attending.
Hearings Resume:
The Office of Administrative Hearing will resume the judicial proceeding hearing our appeal to the Big Chino Pipeline on April 13-15. See Events listing for more info.
This page was last updated on May 26, 2009