Write letters to the mayors of Prescott and Prescott Valley

November 21, 2009 Subject: Please protect the Verde River As a concerned citizen, I urge you to fully utilize tools such as development and growth planning and water conservation measures before taking water from the aquifer that feeds the Verde River. Should you determine to pump and transport the water to feed growth rather than the river, I implore you to evaluate all of the potential impacts of the Big Chino pipeline proposal in central Arizona and complete a comprehensive mitigation plan. This proposal, in conjunction with the Chino Grande pipeline proposal by Chino Valley will deplete the Big Chino aquifer. The unique riparian ecosystem created by the upper Verde River will wither if the Big Chino aquifer is depleted, and with it, the economic and recreational opportunities it provides for so many. Completing the plan prior to pipeline and pumping infrastructure construction is essential. The Verde River's pristine waters, clean air, scenery, and wildlife are invaluable assets for nearby communities. The Verde River has thus far managed to thrive while playing dual roles: those of critical municipal resource and natural paradise. The Verde provides crucial irrigation and drinking water to many communities in central Arizona. It also contains the only section of river to carry the national Wild and Scenic river designation in the state, and supports an outstanding display of riparian wildlife such as the bald eagle, roundtail chub, southwestern willow flycatcher, and Arizona toad. Likewise, the Verde has long been a popular destination for recreational opportunities like boating, hiking, fishing and bird-watching, which have generated stable economic benefits for local communities. Rapid urban growth, combined with the lack of comprehensive water use planning, threatens Arizona's rivers and groundwater supplies. The Big Chino Water Ranch project will exacerbate this water supply management problem on the Verde River. A reduction in the volume of water in the upper Verde would reduce the availability of clean water in downstream communities and farms in the Verde Valley and in Phoenix. It would also diminish the recreational opportunities on the river and threaten the health of many native fish and wildlife species. Before any further decisions are made on the Big Chino Water Ranch project, I urge you to address growth management and water conservation - this would be the most sustainable approach to the area communities’ water issues. I also ask that should you determine to move forward with the Big Chino water project, you complete a comprehensive mitigation plan, such as a Habitat Conservation Plan, that prevents or minimizes not only the impacts to species located on the lands that the pipeline will cross, but also the species that rely on the flows of the Verde River and its associated riparian areas. Engaging all of the area communities in this pre-construction mitigation plan would likely benefit all projects as well as the citizens and the river. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, We will add your signature from the information you provide.		First Name* Last Name* Email* Street* Street 2 City* State/Province* Select a state Alabama Alaska American Samoa Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware D.C. Florida Georgia Guam Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virgin Islands Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Armed Forces (the) Americas Armed Forces Europe Armed Forces Pacific Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Newfoundland New Brunswick Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Ontario Prince Edward Island Quebec Saskatchewan Yukon Territory Other Zip/Postal Code* Send an Email