river restoration and recreation partnerships - chip norton, kim schonek
DESCRIPTION
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.TRANSCRIPT
Chip Norton, President of Friends of Verde River Greenway Kimberly Schonek, TNC Verde River Projects Manager April 15th, 2014
RIVER RECREATION AND RESTORATION PARTNERSHIPS
Colorado River Basin
Verde Watershed
Camp Verde Area
White Bridge Recreation
Area
Colorado River Basin
The Nature Conservancy
Cross Watershed
Network
River Management
Society
Flow Restoration Programs
Habitat Restoration Programs
River Recreation Programs
Verde Watershed
The Nature Conservancy
Verde Watershed Restoration
Coalition
Verde Front
Flow Restoration
Program
Habitat Restoration
Program
River Recreation
Program
VERDE WATERSHED
• 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
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)
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
Camp Verde Area
Ditch Companies
The Nature Conservancy
Friends of the Verde
River Greenway
Town of Camp Verde
Flow Restoration
Habitat Restoration
River Recreation
Community Engagement
IT’S COMPLEX
IRRIGATION WATER DIVERSIONS
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
0 10 20 30 40 50
River Access Points
White Bridge
RESTORATION AND RECREATION: WHY PARTNER?
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
White Bridge
Recreation Area
Diamond S Ditch
Company
The Nature Conservancy
Friends of the Verde
River Greenway
Town of Camp Verde
Flow Restoration
Program
Habitat Restoration
Program
River Recreation
Community Engagement
DIAMOND S DITCH PROJECT
Monitoring & Infrastructure
• Install measurement • Install automation
equipment
Diversion Reduction
Agreements •1 agreement •3 agreements
Long lasting Changes
•Redesign Diversion Structure
• Incorporate Community Needs
WHITE BRIDGE
RECREATION AREA
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
• BOATING • WITH PARTNERS • IN A HEALTHY , FREE FLOWING RIVER
WHERE ARE WE GOING?