Verde River Institute

General Water, Riparian, Biological

Handy Water Conversion Factors from WesternWaterLaw.com Did you know that 1 CFS will supply 646,300 gallons of water per day (enough for 4000-6500 people), or that 1 CFS for a year will provide 724 acre-feet (enough for about 3000 homes)?
Water Resources Development Commission Draft Report (10/1/2011)
The Cornerstones Report, Market-based Responses to Arizona’s Water Sustainability Challenges Walton Family Foundation and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, June, 2011.
Walton Family Foundation Freshwater Strategy (.pdf))
Water Effeciency for Instream Flow: Making the Link in Practice October, 2011; American Rivers, Alliance for Water Efficiency and the Environmental Law Institute; Dickinson et al.
ITT Value of Water Survey Abstract
Sustainable Economic Development Plan Salmon River Community Corridor Community Enhancement and Development Plan, Sept. 2003 Abstract
Ecosystem Services and Watershed Management: A Literature Survey of Landscape Manipulation to Augment Water Supplies Dale Turner, The Nature Conservancy, 2006
Viewpoint: Western juniper expansion: Is it a threat to arid northwestern ecosystems? A. Joy Belsky, Journal of Range Management,1996
Shrub control and streamflow on rangelands: A process based viewpoint Bradford P. Wilcox, Journal of Range Management, 2002
Ecohydrological Implications of Woody Plant Encroachment Travis E. Huxman, et al, 2005, Ecological Society of America
Hydrologic Processes in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands: A Literature Review Rocky Mountain Research Station (USDA, US Forest Service), March, 2012. A literature review of the feasibility of reducing Pinyon-Juniper in order to increase recharge and streamflow. Abstract
Reconnaissance Watershed Analysis on the Upper and Middle Verde Watershed June 30, 2002, Loyd O. Barnett and Richard H. Hawkins, School of Renewable Natural Resources, University of Arizona. An excellent study of the effect of watershed vegetation alterations on runoff and water delivery in the Verde River Basin.
A Layperson's Guide to Arizona Water Arizona Water Education Foundation and Arizona Water Resources Research Center, 2007
Estimated Water Demand and Conservation Potential of Domestic Wells in the Sierra Vista Subwatershed, Arizona May, 2012, Western Resource Advicates and Plateau Resources
Great Migrations: By Land, Air...and Water A case for "swimways" in America's rivers that can facilitate migrating and spawning species past dams and diversions. Robert A. Hrabik, May 9, 2012, blogging on the Great River Partnership website. The Verde River is impacted by diversions that block passage of long-distance spawners, like the Colorado Pikeminnow. This short blog tells how we might correct this and allow better, safer recreational opportunities at the same time.
Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study December, 2012, Bureau of Reclamation. This is a comprehensive analysis of water demand and supply in the Colorado Basin. This is a must read if you want to learn where we are today and where we may be going in the future.
Click Here for the Executive Summary There are also 7 technical reports associated with the study. You can access them ay the BOR website at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/programs/crbstudy/finalreport/index.html.
Hydrological Unit Map and HUC Codes for US Rivers. Map and listing of all HUC codes for US Rivers, along with the size (in square miles) of each HUC. In this scheme, The Lower Colorado is HUC 15, the Salt is HUC 1506, the Verde River is HUC 150602, the Upper Verde is HUC 15060201, the Middle Verde is HUC 15060202, and the Lower Verde is HUC 15060203. The Verde watershed contains 6590 square miles, or 4,217,600 acres.
Trading Water June, 2013 Phoenix Magazine by Tom Marcinko. This article details the cost of water and how it is affected and controlled by various market pressures. Very interesting reading!
Declining Water Sales and Utility Revenues: A Framework for Understanding and Adapting This white paper by the Alliance for Water Efficiency (August, 2013), explores the "conservation conundrum" and other challenges faced by water utilities today. Many utilities' revenues are in decline due to decreased sales which are in turn due to increased conservation.
Hydrologic Processes in the Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands: A Literature Review Rocky Mountain Research Station (USDA, US Forest Service), March, 2012. A literature review of the feasibility of reducing Pinyon-Juniper in order to increase recharge and streamflow.
Threats to Riparian Ecosystems in Western North America: An Analysis of Existoing Literature Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Boris Poff, et. al., 2011. An analysis of the many threats to riparian ecosystems, including groundwater depletion, cattle grazing, recreation, fire, land use changes, invasive species, dams, climate change, timber harvesting, water quality issues, water diversion and mining.
Understanding Arizona’s Riparian Areas George Zaimes, University of Arizona, Cooperative Extension Service, August, 2007. An examination of Arizona's riparian areas, including threats to those areas.
Drinking Water Infrastructure - Who Pays and How?(and for what?) American Rivers, June 2013. An advocate's guide to funding infrastructure, ratemaking to encourage conservation and other urgent water infrastructure topics.
Understanding the Effects of Groundwater Pumping on Streamflow Depletion through USGS Capture Maps. This webinar, held November 20th, 2013 by the USGS, explains how groundwater pumping can affect streamflow and has a great explanation of streamflow capture.
Conservation Priorities in the Colorado River Delta A comprehensive study by the Sonoran Institute, Environmental Defense Fund, University of Arizona, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Pronatura Sonora, and World Wildlife Fund.
Arizona's Strategic Vision for Water Resources Sustainability The Arizona Department of Water Resources 2014 assessment of Arizona's water future and its challenges.
Wichita Falls, Texas, goes with Direct Potable Reuse project. Wichita Falls will produce 5-6 million gallons of potable water each day from its wastewater. Here's a presentation on the project
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Western Water Office program works with public agencies, ranchers, irrigation districts, non-profit partners and tribal entities to fund projects that acquire water rights from wiulling sellers to increase flows in rivers, lakes and streams and help the environment.
"Verde Trout" (Roundtail Chub, Gila robusta) documents: AZ Game and Fish species account; US Bureau of Reclamation's Roundtail Chub (Gila robusta)Status Survey of the Lower Colorado River Basin; U.S. Forest Service's Roundtail Chub (Gila robusta robusta):A Technical Conservation Assessment; U.S. Fish and Wildlife's Roundtail chub, Lower Colorado River Distinct Population Segment (DPS); The Center for Biodiversity's Petition to List the Roundtail and Headwaters Chubs as Endangered Species... is a very complete reference on this fish.
The Value of Water the Value of Water Coalition's white paper on our deteriorating water infrastructure and why it's important to fix it! More info at thevalueofwater.org.
Roadmap for Considering Water for Arizona's Natural Areas (Full Document) University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center, Dec. 2014, Mott-LaCroix et al.
Executive Summary The Roadmap for Considering Water for Arizona’s Natural Areas contains information on the current scientific understanding of water for natural areas and existing legal considerations for providing water to natural areas, examples of where natural areas are already included in water management decisions, and an overview of available paths forward for including natural areas alongside human uses.
Water Quality in Basin-Fill Aquifers of the Southwestern United States: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, 1993–2009 Circular 1358, USGS, Susan A. Thiros, et.al, 2014. Interesting discussion of how basin-fill aquifers are impacted by various contaminants, including artificial recharge, and lots of great info on basin-fill aquifers in general. The Verde Valley is essentially a basin-fill aquifer.
Using terrigenic 4He to identify and quantify regional groundwater discharge to streams Gardner et al, 28 June 2011. This promising new technique may help hydrologists understand the sources of flow in surface water systems, such as the Verde. USGS will be using this for the first time in the Verde in 2015. The Towns of Camp Verde, Clarkdale and Jerome and the City of Sedona are paying for this study.
Colorado College Conservation in the West poll about peoples' attitudes about water and rivers 2015, conducted by Public Opinion Strategies.
The Bureau of Reclamation "Moving Forward" Study examines possible solutions to an over-extended water supply in the Colorado River Basin. May 2015. Here is the Executive Summary
Survey conducted for Arizona Forward by WestGroup about Arizonan's attitudes and knowledge of their water supply and challenges and willingness to intervene.
Clean Water Rule: Definition of “Waters of the United States,” Final Rule This is the final rule that redefines "Waters of the United States" effective July, 2015, actually 60 days after published in the Federal Register. The rule encompasses many waters that were formeraly not covered by a 404 permit.