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Group works toward management of sustainable Willcox Playa Watershed
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| Water Wisdom Steve Marlatt is one of 33 participants at the Willcox Playa Watershed initial stakeholders meeting held recently at Valley Telecom. (Carol Broeder/ARN) |
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Willcox Playa Watershed Partnership held its initial stakeholder meeting earlier this month.
Thirty-three participants attended, representing landowners, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and agencies managing public lands, all from within the boundaries of the Willcox Playa Watershed, said Chairman Homer Hansen.
The meeting included a work session to establish priorities and directions for watershed planning and education efforts. Participants were separated into five groups and were asked to respond to five questions regarding the watershed.
The group participants designated the first three questions as most important. They are listed here in priority order:
€Identify three assets that are part of our watershed.
The aquifer, in terms of groundwater, water quality and water capacity, were noted by four groups as an asset, with three of the groups having aquifer-related responses as the most important asset, Hansen said.
"The fact that our watershed lies in a closed basin was also considered an asset by four of the groups, and was ranked as most important by one group," he said.
Four groups considered the small population size and present slow growth an asset, and three groups considered wildlife, "with two references to birds," an asset.
€What changes are expected to impact our watershed?
Notable changes for four of the groups were population growth, considered as the most significant change by three groups, Hansen said.
One group considered drought and climate change most significant. Restrictions on water through legislative or political means were noted by three of the groups, and as the second most significant for two groups, he said.
€What are the priority water-related issues for our watershed?
"The priority issue for our watershed was conservation, including notes towards efficiency, sustainability, education, and incentives, for four of the groups, with this issue having first priority among three of the groups and second priority among the latter two groups," Hansen said.
"Economics was referenced by four groups in terms of pumping costs, sustainability, best use practices, and incentives," he said. "Water quality was also noted by two groups as a priority issue."
€What measures or practices should we consider to address these impacts and issues?
These included conservation for four of the groups, and one of the groups considered it the priority measure/practice.
Two of the groups gave specific suggestions for household and irrigation practices as conservation measures/practices, Hansen said.
These included xeriscaping, gray water use, low-flow showers and low-water-use toilets, and drip versus flood irrigation.
Three groups noted education as a measure/practice for consideration, with one group designating it as the primary measure/practice.
€How should we define "sound land and water use practices for sustainable watershed management?
The definitions for sustainable watershed management were diverse, said Hansen, adding that two themes noted were "managed use with consideration to re-charge," and "available and economical for perpetuity."
"The work session responses were excellent and I think that this will be of great assistance moving forward with the Willcox Playa Watershed Partnership," Hansen told the Range News.
Planning and organizational meetings will be held more frequently throughout the year, and Hansen is looking for anyone interested in participating. The next meeting will be held sometime in May or June, he said.
For further information, contact Hansen at hhansen@aplomado.com or call (520) 400-6176.
Thirty-three participants attended, representing landowners, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and agencies managing public lands, all from within the boundaries of the Willcox Playa Watershed, said Chairman Homer Hansen.
The meeting included a work session to establish priorities and directions for watershed planning and education efforts. Participants were separated into five groups and were asked to respond to five questions regarding the watershed.
The group participants designated the first three questions as most important. They are listed here in priority order:
€Identify three assets that are part of our watershed.
The aquifer, in terms of groundwater, water quality and water capacity, were noted by four groups as an asset, with three of the groups having aquifer-related responses as the most important asset, Hansen said.
"The fact that our watershed lies in a closed basin was also considered an asset by four of the groups, and was ranked as most important by one group," he said.
Four groups considered the small population size and present slow growth an asset, and three groups considered wildlife, "with two references to birds," an asset.
€What changes are expected to impact our watershed?
Notable changes for four of the groups were population growth, considered as the most significant change by three groups, Hansen said.
One group considered drought and climate change most significant. Restrictions on water through legislative or political means were noted by three of the groups, and as the second most significant for two groups, he said.
€What are the priority water-related issues for our watershed?
"The priority issue for our watershed was conservation, including notes towards efficiency, sustainability, education, and incentives, for four of the groups, with this issue having first priority among three of the groups and second priority among the latter two groups," Hansen said.
"Economics was referenced by four groups in terms of pumping costs, sustainability, best use practices, and incentives," he said. "Water quality was also noted by two groups as a priority issue."
€What measures or practices should we consider to address these impacts and issues?
These included conservation for four of the groups, and one of the groups considered it the priority measure/practice.
Two of the groups gave specific suggestions for household and irrigation practices as conservation measures/practices, Hansen said.
These included xeriscaping, gray water use, low-flow showers and low-water-use toilets, and drip versus flood irrigation.
Three groups noted education as a measure/practice for consideration, with one group designating it as the primary measure/practice.
€How should we define "sound land and water use practices for sustainable watershed management?
The definitions for sustainable watershed management were diverse, said Hansen, adding that two themes noted were "managed use with consideration to re-charge," and "available and economical for perpetuity."
"The work session responses were excellent and I think that this will be of great assistance moving forward with the Willcox Playa Watershed Partnership," Hansen told the Range News.
Planning and organizational meetings will be held more frequently throughout the year, and Hansen is looking for anyone interested in participating. The next meeting will be held sometime in May or June, he said.
For further information, contact Hansen at hhansen@aplomado.com or call (520) 400-6176.
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