Yavapai Group
Grand Canyon Chapter
Fall rains pour over basalt cliffs below Sullivan Dam
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September '09 Newsletter, Yavapai Group
Yavapai Group News
MEMBERSHIP REPORT:
588 members in Yavapai Group as of July 2009
PRESCOTT TRAIL MAINTENANCE:
Prescott National Forest has expressed a need for volunteers to assist with trail maintenance in the Prescott area. The Sierra Club is sponsoring three workdays to trim brush overhanging several trails near Prescott. See outings schedule for details. We hope you can spare a day to improve the hiking trails in our neighborhood.
STILLMAN LAKE RENOVATION:
The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the AZ Game and Fish Dep't has started work to re-establish a native fishery in Stillman Lake. Valuable game fish (bass & catfish) have been moved to another lake, crayfish have been removed. The flood of Aug 21 forced postponement of the rotenone treatment until early September.
TAXPAYER PROTECTION INITIATIVE
The Taxpayer Protection Initiative, qualified for the November ballot in Prescott, remains under attack by the City of Prescott. Three councilmembers called a special meeting on Aug 31 to vote the measure off of the ballot, but they failed. The TPI will be on the November ballot. The initiative will amend the City of Prescott Charter to require a voter for most city projects with a value of $40 million or more, including the Big Chino Pipeline Project. Although the Big Chino Pipeline Project is undoubtedly the spark for this citizen initiative, the measure covers all municipal projects. The Sierra Club Yavapai Group urges our members to support this issue and talk to your neighbors for their YES vote. For more info, check out their web site: YESon401.com, or email info@taxpayerprotectioncommittee.com, or call Brad at 499-7726.
SAVE THE VERDE SIGNS CONTEST:
To see all the submissions, go to our web page: http://arizona.sierraclub.org/yavapai/
The ExComm had a blind vote and selected the winners:
Doris Cellarius:
Fish gotta swim
Birds gotta Fly
Use water wisely
Or the river
Will Die
SAVE THE VERDE!
Edna Moglewer:
Where fish swim
And eagles fly
We cannot allow
The river to die
So take the vow
SAVE THE VERDE!
Tom Slaback:
The cities all say
Trust us today
When the river runs dry
All we can do
Is cry, we knew
SAVE THE VERDE!
Verde Update
By Gary Beverly
Two million years old, the Upper Verde River still flows through the desert highlands, through the Verde Valley, headed to the Salt River confluence. Originating from clear, cool springs near Paulden, it supports a rich and diverse variety of plants, animals, and fish, including a score of threatened, endangered, and watched species, before diversion into the municipal water supply for a third of metro Phoenix. Yavapai Group is watching the Verde very, very carefully. Our primary and immediate concern is the pipeline, but there are several other problems and positives to report:
Flood: Late August cloudbursts filled Sullivan Lake, overflowing Sullivan Dam and sending a surge of brown water down the Verde. Ten miles downstream at the Paulden stream gage, the water level rose 5 feet in 30 minutes and the flow increased 130 times! To see a photo showing water overflowing the dam, visit http://arizona.sierraclub.org/yavapai/
Prescott’s Pipeline: Prescott was granted an assured water supply permit by ADWR to pump water from the aquifer feeding the headwaters springs, which would dry the river at the source. We objected and appealed; the administrative hearings are now complete. Closing briefs have been submitted to the judge, who will recommend action to the director of ADWR, who will issue a final decision by Thanksgiving. We are already planning additional legal actions to supplement four current suits now in the courts.
Local politics are now involved in the dispute. A citizens group has successfully placed a measure on the November municipal ballot. The Citizens Tax Initiative would require a vote on any municipal project exceeding 40 million. The initiative enjoys broad support from environmentalists and economic conservatives distressed by local government. The pipeline is an important election issue. Passing the initiative would require a vote to proceed with the infernal Big Chino Pipeline.
Illegal OHV Access: Drake Cement has placed boulders at 5 trailheads to positively block irresponsible motorheads from driving in the river.
Water Monitoring: The Sierra Club Water Sentinels monitors water quality and quantity at 7 locations along the Verde in alternate months. Upper Verde (above Clarkdale) water quality is good, meeting Clean Water Act standards for body contact. Drake Cement is funding additional monitoring for mercury in fish tissue. The US Fish & Wildlife Service is collecting the samples (with Sierra Club volunteers) four times annually for three years. Mercury in streams is a serious national concern; mercury could interfere with native fishery management, harm wildlife (eagles, etc) that eat fish, and injure children and pregnant women. Yavapai Group devised and coordinated this program.
Native Fishery: In June, PNF biologists (with Sierra Club volunteers) conducted the annual native fish population survey at 7 sites along the river. Currently, the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the AZ Game & Fish Department are restoring Stillman Lake to a native fishery nursery. Stillman Lake is just upstream from Verde Springs. Once natives are established in the lake, intermittent floods will “stock” the Upper Verde with Roundtail Chub and Razorback Sucker. The lake restoration process involves moving desirable game fish (bass, catfish, etc) to another location, moving native fish into the Verde, poisoning the remaining fish with rotenone, then stocking the lake with natives.
Invasive Species: A professional USFS crew removed tamarisk infestations near Duff Spring; this was the second phase of a 3 year program.
Grazing Riparian Zones: We have noted that cattle, prohibited in the riparian zone since 1999, are everywhere along the river from Sycamore Creek up to the headwaters. We have reported these violations of PNF grazing lease agreements and are monitoring the situation.
Iron King Mine Update
by Doris Cellarius
Good news: The Minex proposal to transfer 150,000 tons of toxic manganese mill tailings from rural Maricopa County to the Iron King Mine in Humboldt has been withdrawn. Minex did not want to risk Superfund liability by conducting operations at a Superfund site contaminated with arsenic and other toxins. However, Minex may have complicated the situation. As reported in the Prescott Courier, " Earlier this year, the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality filed a lawsuit against Kuhles Capital LLC, the company that owns the Iron King Mine site and its operators, brothers Clayton and Warren Kuhles. ADEQ alleges 10 violations at the Kuhles' Iron King landfill, which the Kuhles have denied....... Minex already had been leasing and outfitting property from Kuhles Capital for small-scale manganese tailings processing at the Iron King without the town's knowledge."
A reuse assessment for the mine and nearby Humboldt smelter is being developed by EPA. It will help property owners and town officials decide future land uses for those sites. If you would like to be added to EPA's mailing list or would like more information about the Site, please call EPA's toll free hot-line (800) 231-3075 and leave a message with your name and address.
This page was last updated on SEPTEMBER, 2009