The Nature Conservancy Purchases Verde River Springs
Purchase Safeguards Verde River Future
PRESCOTT, ARIZONA — January 4, 2008— The Verde River emerges from the ground in a deep canyon, 25 miles north of Prescott, where a series of springs well up under a cap of volcanic rock. The springs are fed by aquifers deep below the Big Chino and Little Chino valleys. The Nature Conservancy in Arizona recently purchased the springs from Betty and Billy Wells to ensure they are safeguarded into the future.
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Verde River Springs Preserve
© Dale Famas/Empire Surveying, Inc. |
The 312-acre purchase at the headwaters of the Verde River includes a 1-mile stretch of river and lush riparian vegetation, which provide important habitat for a variety of native wildlife including threatened and endangered species. Additionally, a 160-acre voluntary land protection agreement over land buffering the river was donated to the Conservancy by the Wells, who operate the adjacent 3,000-acre V7 Ranch.
“The Verde River Springs are where the river comes to life,” said Heather Reading of the Conservancy’s Verde Program, who put together the agreement. “Betty and Billy wanted to make sure this special place was protected forever. Their family roots go back many generations and they want to ensure that the river and grasslands they’ve treasured are here for future generations to enjoy, while preserving their family ranching tradition.”
The Verde, a key component of the Colorado River Basin watershed, is a fragile ecosystem and nationally recognized. A 65-mile stretch of the river is Arizona’s only federally designated Wild and Scenic River. The upper Verde is also one of the last best places for Arizona’s endangered native fish.
The Conservancy’s new Verde River Springs Preserve provides water for the upper 24 miles of river. It is eventually joined by Sycamore Creek, Oak Creek, Wet Beaver Creek, West Clear Creek and Fossil Creek and flows downstream to join the Salt River east of Phoenix.
The Verde River Springs are also at the center of one of Arizona’s growing water controversies. Upstream the communities of Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley are pumping more water out of the Little Chino Valley than can be sustained and are looking for new sources of water. Two separate pipelines are being proposed to pump water out of the neighboring Big Chino Valley which provides the majority of the water to the Verde River springs.
“Acquiring the springs at the headwaters of the Verde is an important first step,” said Pat Graham, director of the Conservancy’s Arizona Chapter. “If the river is to survive, though, we will need the cooperation of the cities, county, landowners and our partners to create a future that is sustainable for both people and nature.”
“Our work at the Verde River Springs Preserve will include the establishment of hydrologic monitoring in partnership with the U.S. Geological Survey and other science institutions,” said Verde Program Manager, Dan Campbell. “Additionally, we will support native fish recovery efforts in the Upper Verde by partnering with the Arizona Game and Fish Department and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.”
Verde River Springs Preserve
Quick Facts
In early December 2007 The Nature Conservancy purchased 312 acres of land, including the Verde River Springs from Betty and Billy Wells, owners of the V7 Ranch in Chino Valley, with the goal of assuring the ecological integrity of the Verde River’s headwaters. Additionally, the Wells donated a 160-acre conservation easement over adjacent property, which buffers the river, to the Conservancy.
At 140 miles, the Verde is one of the longest rivers left in Arizona, comprising 10 percent of all riparian areas in Arizona, including one of the largest single expanses of cottonwood and willow trees.
The Verde River headwaters emerge from the one of the largest expanses of unbroken, high-quality native grassland in the Southwest.
Along the Upper Verde River, ancient ruins and petroglyphs provide evidence of prehistoric human occupation for more than 9,000 years.
The Upper Verde River is one of the two best remaining native fisheries in Arizona. Native species include the Sonora sucker, desert sucker, round-tailed chub (Verde trout), longfin dace, speckled dace, spikedace, razorback sucker and Gila chub. The last three are listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act as threatened or endangered.
The Verde River and its tributaries are one of the last places in Arizona where river otter continue to breed and both beaver and river otter thrive; other mammals that make their home in the Springs Preserve area include bobcat, mountain lion, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and javelina.
The Verde River is often cited as having one of the highest densities of breeding birds in the United States. Some rare species include the federally listed Southwestern willow flycatcher and the yellow-billed cuckoo (a candidate for listing). The Verde provides important nesting habitat for bald eagles (recently de-listed), which successfully fledge eaglets from several nests along the river and its tributaries every year
The Verde is one of the 10 most endangered rivers in the U.S., according to American Rivers.
Yavapai County, home of the Verde River's headwaters, has 20,000 exempt wells–the largest number of any county in Arizona. Growth and further depletion of groundwater threatens 12 cities and towns in this area and the city of Phoenix, which obtain much of their surface-flow water source from the Verde River.
Herb Guenther, director of the Arizona Department of Water Resources, says the Verde River is likely to be the first watershed in the state where groundwater depletion will actually affect growth.
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The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have helped protect more than 119 million acres of land and more than 5,ooo river miles around the world. Learn more about the Conservancy's work in Arizona.
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