Norton, Chip - Friends of the Verde River Greenway, Board President; Kimberly Schonek, The Nature Conservancy, Verde River Projects Manager
Located on private land in the heart of Camp Verde, Arizona, an irrigation diversion on the Verde River creates terra incognita. This diversion dam and the riparian flood zone located immediately downstream from the dam are seldom visited - even by landowners. Recreational boaters tend to avoid this stretch of river, which is otherwise attractive. The dam is an absolute barrier to native fish passage most of the year. Woody and herbaceous invasive plant species are common in this altered riparian area.
In the Verde Valley, Friends of the Verde River Greenway (FVRG) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have teamed up with local, state and federal partners to take on this challenge. Together, they are working to transform terra incognita into a community asset that will provide reliable irrigation water and recreational opportunities, as well as improve river flow and fish and wildlife habitat
Both FVRG and TNC are also engaged in watershed-scale programs that provide the context for successful local projects. FVRG leads the Verde Watershed Restoration Coalition, a river restoration collaborative and co-convenes the Verde Front, a sustainable recreation collaborative. TNC has developed strong partnerships with surface water users to improve irrigation efficiencies that enhance river flow.
Finally, multi-state partnerships and strategies provide an even broader context for successful restoration projects. TNC’s Colorado River basin strategies guide their Verde River programs and projects. FVRG partners with restoration practitioners in other states through Cross-Watershed Network, and is currently facilitating a cross-watershed visit to Grand Valley, Colorado, from Verde Valley, Arizona, regarding sustainable river recreation.
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River restoration and recreation partnerships - Chip Norton, Kim Schonek
1. Chip Norton, President of Friends of Verde
River Greenway
Kimberly Schonek, TNC Verde River Projects
Manager
April 15th, 2014
RIVER RECREATION AND RESTORATION
PARTNERSHIPS
6. • The Verde is one of the last free-flowing rivers in the Colorado Basin, it is a
critical part watershed – one we should aim to save and restore.
• The Conservancy has worked in the Verde for more than 30 years and our
strategy has evolved.
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
VERDE RIVER FLOW RESTORATION PROGRAM
7. VWRC in a collaborative effort
uniting landowners, organizations
and agencies in their common
interest in the health of the Verde
River Watershed.
VERDE WATERSHED RESTORATION
COALITION (VWRC)
8. To collaborate with
communities,
agencies, and other
partners to plan and
implement a
sustainable
recreation strategy
that will protect
landscape health
and support robust
economies in and
around the Verde
Valley.
VERDE FRONT
SUSTAINABLE RECREATION
13. Project Types
• Transaction based
– Forbearance Agreements
– Water Use agreements
• Non-transaction based
– Water Measurement
– Grants to Support Infrastructure
Examples
• Diamond S Flow Reduction
Agreement
• West Clear Creek Fallowing
Agreement
• Verde Ditch Infrastructure
• Eureka Ditch Headgate
FLOW RESTORATION PROGRAM
19. TNC
• Improve flows in the Verde by 10 cfs over 18 miles.
• Reduced water delivery demand on West Clear Creek
VWRC
• Stewardship agreements with 200 private landowners
• Removed woody invasive species from over 2500 acres of
riparian habitat
• Employed 30 returning veterans, local youth conservation
corps and staff last year
VERDE FRONT
• County supervisors, mayors and staff meet quarterly with
public land managers
• Verde River Greenway cooperative river recreation
management planning to commence this year.
• Camp Verde river recreation master planning to commence
this summer.
SUCCESSES
20. • BOATING
• WITH PARTNERS
• IN A HEALTHY , FREE FLOWING RIVER
WHERE ARE WE GOING?
