Coconino Plateau Watershed Partnership
Our Partners Success Stories
The Ethic:
Water is life. As individuals and as a community, we take responsibility for our region's water. We value water for its social, cultural, and environmental roles. We have an ethical obligation to manage water and use it in a purposeful manner, recognizing our choices and their consequences. To quote Aldo Leopold, "A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."
City of Flagstaff
Water: Past, Present and Future
Indigenous peoples have lived in the Flagstaff area for thousands of years. In 1889 Flagstaff had 1500 residents and was the official water stop on a busy rail route serving 100 trains per day. At that time, all water resources were supplied by local springs, ephemeral streams and catchment systems.
From 1884 to 1925, the town built increasingly larger reservoirs to pipe spring water from the Inner Basin to the growing community. The development of Upper Lake Mary increased the potential water storage capacity to over 6 billion gallons for the 7,663 residents in 1941.
Droughts in the 1950’s spurred the development of several wellfields into the deep C aquifer. This well water ensures that Flagstaff has an adequate year-round water supply.
Today, Flagstaff Water Services continues to provide excellent and reliable drinking water for 70,000+ residents. With conservation measures, the amount of water consumed per person has dropped from an average of over 180 gallons a day in 1990 to under 100 gallons per day in 2020! This drop is attributed to efforts including water pricing, implementation of watering rules, customer and production-side technology improvements and behavior change.
Flagstaff coordinates a strategic 100-year Designation of Adequate Water Supply from the Arizona Department of Water Resources to ensure a water supply for all existing and future Flagstaff residents. Being a good steward of our natural water resources ensures that future generations in Flagstaff will continue to be water secure.
Pipelines of the Past to Pipelines of the Future
City of Flagstaff Projects
Upper and Lower Lake Mary
Upper Lake Mary Spillway
Lake Mary Water Treatment Plant
- Located on Lake Mary Road, this plant can treat up to 8 million gallons of water per day (8MGD) from Upper Lake Mary. This conventional water treatment plant uses the following processes:
- Disinfection
- Filtration
- Flocculation
- Sedimentation
- Coagulatio
Control Room
Coconino Aquifer / Groundwater
Geology and Cross Section by George Billingsley and William Breed[EY1] [EY1]i think it's "Beard" - double check
Artwork by Dick Beasley. Published by Petrified Forest Museum Association 1980
Inner Basin Springs
·
Spring water from the Inner Basin of the San Francisco peaks has been a reliable resource for the Flagstaff community since 1898 when the first pipeline and reservoir systems were built. Since then, the Inner Basin pipeline system has been expanded and reconstructed, and is today capable of providing 2 million gallons of water per day to the city’s North Reservoir Filtration Plant, which has a capacity of 50 million gallons, located at the base of Schultz Pass Road. The Inner Basin pipeline system provides 20% of Flagstaff’s peak day water supply in the summer months, with spring flow collected from the mountain totaling as much as 100 million gallons throughout the course of the summer season. This high-quality water supply assists in meeting the city’s summer water demands and provides a cost-effective water supply to supplement groundwater and Lake Mary withdrawals.
· Interesting Facts:
o In 2019, firefighters drew water from the North Reservoir to aid in relief efforts for the Museum Fire.
o Inner Basin Spring water is the best quality of all the sources that Flagstaff Water Services uses
Inner Basin Spring
Rio de Flag
Frances Short Pond
Reclaimed Water System
Reclaimed water accounts for about 20% of total water use in Flagstaff. Flagstaff Water Services operates two water reclamation plants that have the capacity to produce a combined 10 million gallons of Class A+ water per day for non-potable reuse. Once treated, this water is either transported to users in a separate distribution system (“purple pipe”) for reclaimed uses like landscape irrigation, snowmaking, and dust control, or the reclaimed water not used is discharged to the Rio de Flag. Only one-third of the reclaimed water produced each year is committed to current customers.
The remaining two-thirds of uncommitted reclaimed water that is discharged into the Rio de Flag at the I-40 wetlands or through Picture Canyon has created a riparian ecosystem at both locations. Some reclaimed water also infiltrates into the ground and is naturally filtered through an initial unsaturated layer called the Vadose Zone, and then eventually mixes with groundwater in the C-Aquifer.
Picture Canyon
Check out our brochure (PDF) and trail map (PDF) to learn more about the Preserve's resources and trail system. View images from Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve
Rio de Flag Water Reclamation Plant
Wildcat Hill Water Reclamation Plant
· The Wildcat Hill Water Reclamation Plant, located at 2800 North El Paso Road in Flagstaff, is capable of treating 6 million gallons per day. The facility treats the sludge generated from the Rio de Flag WRP in addition to its own. Methane gas, which is generated from the treatment process, is used to power equipment and reduce electrical power consumption.
City of Sedona
One of the most important water issues that the City of Sedona faces is the protection of water quality in Oak Creek. Oak Creek, a tributary of the Verde River, is one of the few perennial streams in the high desert region of northern Arizona. Oak Creek is designated as a Federal unique waterway and sees heavy amounts of recreation. This often results in increased levels of E.coli and large amounts of trash are left behind from recreationists. In order protect Oak Creek, the City of Sedona has setup Stormwater Runoff Management, the Sedona Wastewater Reclamation Plant, Wetlands, and Groundwater Recharge.
Oak Creek Watershed
Stormwater Runoff Management
Stormwater Inlet Curb Marker
Stormwater Pollution Prevent Plans (SWPPP) are required for all residential, commercial, and capital construction projects. Regular inspection of Best Management Practices to ensure construction activities do pollute stormwater runoff that enters Oak Creek
Pre-monsoon inspections, cleaning of inlets and catch basins
Yard debris collection events
Regular street sweeping
Pet Waste Collection Stations - 17 total maintained by City of Sedona, additional stations maintained by private entities
(Over 10,000 pounds of pet waste collected since July 1, 2017)
Identify illicit discharges through dry weather and wet weather monitoring at 5 outfalls
Water quality testing at one stormwater outfall for E. Coli
Stormwater Samples
Groundwater Recharge
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
“A condor is five percent feathers, flesh, blood and bone. The rest is place. Condors are a soaring manifestation of the place that built them and coded their genes That place requires space to meet in, to teach fledglings to roost unmolested, to bathe and drink in, to find other condors in, and to fly over wild and free.” David Brower, September 4, 1980
California condors, the largest and one of the rarest birds in North America, find the Colorado Plateau as a perfect place to make their home. This area provides the protection of federal lands, rugged terrain along the Colorado River with caves to nest in and updrafts for flight, and abundant wildlife resulting in carrion as food for condors. In Pleistocene times, condors were a common resident of the Colorado Plateau judging by bones, feathers and eggshells found in a Grand Canyon cave where they once nested. But by 1982, the population of California condors had dwindled to only 22 birds. Those few remaining ones were taken into captive breeding programs to increase their numbers. Today, the endangered California condor may be found soaring throughout Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Grand Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park. To possibly glimpse a condor, visit Navajo Bridge near Lees Ferry where condors often gather because it’s close to the original release site in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument. Play the video (on the right) to learn more about condors with Ranger Amanda Rich.
Flagstaff National Monuments
In 2008 the National Park Service worked to restore Heiser Spring at Wupatki National Monument. Once a place of biodiversity in the arid environment, the spring had become severely degraded. Now native vegetation has returned, the water table has risen several feet, and Heiser Spring is returning to its vital role in maintaining ecological health.
On the right East view of spring showing 2009 (Swipe Left to see vegetation recovery 2015) cleared area where native plants such as fragrant sumac and desert olive would be placed
Northwest view Heiser Spring area showing spring box behind chain link fence June 2008
Spring box inside chain link fence June 2008
All remnant structures and pavement were demolished June 2009
South view of spring showing recovery of vegetation August 2010
South view of spring showing recovery of vegetation May 2013
Friends of the Verde River
Grand Canyon National Park
Water is a vital natural resource, particularly in the arid southwest. Most of the flow of the Colorado River through Grand Canyon originates in the Rocky Mountain region. From its origin to its mouth in the Gulf of California, many hands have claimed the Colorado waters for such purposes as irrigation and water supply.
The Colorado River within the boundaries of Grand Canyon National Park drains an area of approximately 41,070 square miles. The major perennial streams feeding into the Colorado (such as Kanab and Havasu creeks, the Little Colorado River and the Paria River) are related to large perennial spring systems on both the north and south sides of the Canyon. However, the majority of water sources are intermittent or ephemeral in nature. The availability of water in these individual systems is closely related to geologic structure, seasonality and annual precipitation. Knowledge of all water sources within Grand Canyon is incomplete. A parallel inventory was done in 1979 over a 1,881 square mile area of the park which found 57 perennial water sources, 21 of which are streams and 36 which are seeps. Specific geologic layers, such as the Muav limestone, are the most common sources for these perennial waters.
Springs are one of the critical natural resources in Grand Canyon National Park. Spring discharge is seen as a singular response to the hydrologic character of a much larger area and an indication of the status of the supplying aquifer systems.
This water provides base flow to the Colorado River, and provides drinking water to wildlife and Park visitors in an otherwise arid environment.
Springs also offer refuge to endemic and exotic terrestrial wildlife species of Grand Canyon and maintain the riparian areas that are associated with this resource.
Grand Canyon springs are often locations of exceptional natural beauty and many hold cultural significance to Native Americans in the region.
Finally, these waters aid in the erosive process that formed the canyon itself. mestone, are the most common sources for these perennial waters.
Climate change and development on the Coconino Plateau has raised the awareness of environmentalists, commercial developers, and resource managers to the value of spring resources. The impact of drought and groundwater pumping on the water quantity and quality of these delicate and rare ecosystems is little known and current hydrologic models show that some flow reduction will occur at some springs within creased development.
Although springs make up less than 0.01% of Grand Canyon's landscape, 500 times more species concentrate in them than in the surrounding desert. Researchers have discovered that each spring is far more unique than expected: many contain rare species found nowhere else in the world.
When visiting Grand Canyon's seeps, springs, and streams, please stay at least 100 feet away from the water before using soaps or urinating. Human feces must be buried at least 100 feet away from any water resource.
Hopi Tribe
Tusayan Sanitary District
GC Sanitary District has invested over $1,000,000 in our reclaimed water recycling system.
Over 44% of Tusayan’s water is now recycled.
Some businesses use over 70% reclaimed water, for both toilet flushing and irrigation and beautification projects.
Tusayan landscaping is made possible without utilizing additional precious groundwater.
Both Tusayan and GCNP share the same goals, to preserve and to protect our sensitive high desert environment.
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Low cost reclaimed water made available by SGCSD and is trucked to forest animals in the driest parts of the Kaibab National Forest by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
Reclaimed Water {over 1.5 Million gallons so far}, is mainly provided in times of drought, benefiting not only the elk, but all the small forest animals and birds.
Under advisement and partnering with the USFS and the AZ Game and Fish, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the SGCSD are attempting to maintain a healthy forest animal population.
Our goal is to provide water in times of drought, create a healthy balance, and to prevent excessive congregation near scarce water sources which can overtax the resources in those areas.
Cogeneration Power Plant
We are proud to be host to a study to determine whether bioenergy can be successful to solve some of Tusayan/Grand Canyon common problems.
Air Quality—we can improve GC air quality by reducing smoke from the burning of forest slash and thinning materials.
Fire Protection—we can help reduce forest fuels safely and economically.
Reduction of Municipal Solid Waste—we can utilize biomass for energy production, reducing the flow of our trash to landfills.
Currently, trash is hauled 80 to 150 miles and buried.
Decentralization of power production—increasing national security.
0 NOX, 0 SOX—the gasification process produces less emissions than a California compliant car.
If the gasification process is found appropriate for this area, we can be a model for the world by creating energy from our waste products.
We can improve forest health and reduce our dependence on non-renewable energy resources.
Service Partnership with the USFS
SGCSD and the USFS have partnered to connect the Forest Service Compound to our ‘State of the Art’ Waste Water Treatment Plant.
This is one more step which the community of Tusayan is taking in our continuing effort to protect our environment and our most precious resource, water.
One of our priority goals is to help protect and preserve our fragile Northern Arizona environment
The community of Tusayan shares the same goals as both the GCNP and the USFS.
Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D
The Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D was organized in 1968 under Public Law 107-171 to serve as an Umbrella Organization for natural-resource based Community Action Teams. That is, it provides a formal 501(c)3 Non-Profit organization to administratively and financially support local groups in order for them to focus on their Primary Mission(s).
The RC&D provides support in forms of natural resource –based efforts throughout northeastern Arizona. These efforts include forestry, water and water resources, economic development, livestock and self-determination, grant-writing, finances and other administrative support.
The RC&D works with any community-interest group determined to improve their local area through focused local efforts. As a private, not-for-profit Corporation, the field of interest is broad and non-governmental.
RC&D Mission:
The mission of the RC&D program is to make available financial, administrative, educational and technical resources of the USDA and other public and private partnerships to increase the ability of communities to meet their regionally identified resources, conservation and economic development needs.
Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D Mission:
To support partnerships by providing leadership in natural resources, conservation and economic development with the communities and stakeholders of northeastern Arizona.
Little Colorado River Plateau RC&D Vision:
Where hopes and dreams become reality through collaboration and commitment.
Rainbow Lake (near Pinetop-Lakeside) – 20 years of working to control invasive aquatic weeds. Now clear with the use of sterile White Amur Carp. Leveraged grant funds 80% private 20% grants to accomplish.
Padres Mesa, 14R Ranches, Newlands Chapter, Navajo Nation, Native Beef project. Raising and promoting Native Beef from calf to table.