[Southern_AZ_MWS] Fwd: Volunteers needed for riparian summaries

[D Sparrow]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Kris_Randall at FWS.GOV
Date: February 7, 2011 3:15:07 PM MST
To: RIPARIAN at ASU.EDU
Subject: Volunteers needed for riparian summaries
Reply-To: "riparian - \"Arizona Riparian Council\"" <RIPARIAN at asu.edu>


Please email your questions or comments to Rebecca Davidson (contact information at end of this message). 


Greetings! 
 
The Arizona Legislature this last session passed H.B.2661, which created the Water Resources Development Commission for the purpose of assessing the current and future water needs of Arizona.   The Legislature tasked the Director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources to appoint a Water Resources Development commission, whose members must possess knowledge about various water resource and water management issues in Arizona and represent a regional and geographic cross-section of the state. 
 
Among others tasks, the Water Resources Development Commission must: 
·         Compile and consider projected water needs of each AZ county in the next 25, 50 and 100 years 
·         ID and quantify water supplies currently available in each county 
·         ID potential water supplies to meet additional demands 
 
As part of the tasks listed above, this effort also will be identifying environmental resources associated with surface and ground water across the state. 
 
Within the “Environmental Committee” we have been asked to identify these riparian and wildlife resources associated with streams, wetlands, springs and other aquatic resources. 
 
We need your help! 
 
We are looking for volunteers to help us draft short (1-2 pages max) natural resource descriptions for riparian and wildlife values within groundwater basins throughout the state of Arizona. We have a fast turnaround on the write-ups. We will need your drafts by February 18th! 
 
More info about the Commission can be found here: http://www.azwater.gov/AzDWR/WaterManagement/WRDC_HB2661/documents/WRDC%20Mission.PDF 
 
Attached is a pdf map showing the groundwater basins within each county, and an example writeup (for Aravaipa- any additional suggestions on example are welcome as well). 
 
Here is a list of groundwater basins we need assistance drafting the descriptions for: 
·         Salt River 
·         Phoenix AMA 
·         Big Sandy 
·         Santa Cruz AMA 
·         Bonita Creek 
·         Prescott AMA
        Aravaipa Canyon
        Duncan Valley
        Hualapai Valley
        Peach Springs
        Bonita Creek
        Lower Gila
        Dripping Springs Wash
        Sacramento Valley
        Grand Wash
        Donnelly Wash
        Douglas
        San Bernardino Valley        
        Joseph City INa
        Gila Bend
        (Western Mexican Drainage- goes into Mexico)

 
We also need help drafting up descriptions for those basins associated with the lands adjacent to the Colorado River: 
·         Parker 
·         Lake Mohave 
·         Yuma 
·         Lake Havasu 
·         Detrital Valley 
 
Lastly, if you are familiar with the Arizona Strip, we could use your assistance with: 
·         Virgin River 
·         Grand Wash 
·         Meadview 
·         Shivwits Plateau 
·         Paria 
·         Kanab Plateau 
 
Please let us know if you are interested! You can reference the following link to obtain some additional information for each groundwater basin: 
 
http://infoshare.azwater.gov/docushare/dsweb/View/Collection-163/Document-333 
 
Attached within this link, for your use is an example of one of the “headnote” write ups, and a list of perennial streams and tributaries within the groundwater basins listed above. Also attached for your reference is a list of lands federally designated within each groundwater basin that intersect with perennial waters. These attachments should help you focus your write ups. 
 
Each Headnote Basin descriptor should have the following categories: 
 
·         Important Riparian, Aquatic, and Wetland Resources 
o   Descriptor of vegetation, habitats, important wildlife, importance of water for resources 
·         Important Conservation Lands 
o   Wilderness, NCA’s, National Monuments, Important Bird Areas, AZGFD Watchable Wildlife areas, conservation projects, or management regimes. 
·         Federally Protected Species and Critical Habitats 
o   We will add this component. 
·         Economic Values 
o   We will add this component (we are determining/valuing angler use days for waterbodies within each groundwater basin) 
 
Here are some good websites to check out: 
 
Arizona Important Bird Areas http://www.aziba.org/az_ibas.htm 
 
Watchable Wildlife – Arizona http://wildlifeviewingareas.com/default.asp 
 
I suggest you also check out the BLM or FS websites for additional descriptions of these areas, including conservation lands. 
 
http://www.blm.gov/az/st/en/prog/blm_special_areas.html 
 
http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/map/state_list.shtml#Arizona 
 
Please feel free to have your volunteers contact me with any questions! 
 
 
Rebecca Davidson 
Salt River Project 
Water Rights and Contracts 
602-236-6617 (office) 
602-515-2455 (cell) 
rebecca.davidson at srpnet.com   
 
The information contained in this message is CONFIDENTIAL and may be subject to one or more of the following: ATTORNEY-CLIENT, ATTORNEY WORK PRODUCT, INVESTIGATIVE PRIVILEGES or other privilege under the law.  It is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed. 
    

_______________________________________________________________________________
The Arizona Riparian Council list serve is meant to be a place for discussion of riparian issues and for announcements of meetings, seminars, etc. The list is moderated and inappropriate language and personal attacks will not be allowed. Postings will be sent back to the originator for proper editing. The Arizona Riparian Council provides this forum for discussion but does not necessarily agree with opinions expressed in posted comments.


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