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Fighting Over Water in the West

verde river basinSedona AZ (March 6, 2014) – On Wednesday, March 19, 2014, at 10:30 a.m., the Verde River Basin Partnership (Partnership) is sponsoring a presentation, Constraints on the County’s Involvement in Water Issues, focusing on Yavapai County’s level of involvement with land use and water planning.

A knowledgeable panel composed of Yavapai County Supervisor Thomas Thurman, Yavapai County Supervisor Chip Davis, and Yavapai County Development Services Director Steve Mauk will give the presentation. It will be held in the Verde Room at the Yavapai County Administration Building, 10 South 6th Street, Cottonwood.

In the west, “Whiskey’s for Drinkin’ and Water’s for Fightin’” has long been a water use mantra. It’s become clear that everyone in Yavapai County is in this fray no matter where you live. Every level of government is involved – federal, state, county, and even cities and towns. Each level of government is empowered with different kinds of authority for land use and water planning. Hear directly from two of Yavapai County’s Supervisors and the County’s Development Services Director how county government can become involved.

Camp Verde Arizona and other Verde Valley communities face water and land use issues

Camp Verde Arizona and other Verde Valley communities face development vs agricultural land and water use issues

One of the topics will be the pros and cons of Senate Bill 1575 which allows counties, cities and towns to require new subdivisions to have adequate water supplies to be approved. Others will include wildcat subdivisions and runaway lot splits and what can be done about the water use and land planning issues they present. Following the presentation, there will be time for questions and answers.

Supervisor Thurman has been a resident of Prescott since 1969 and graduated from Prescott High School. He is in his third term as a County Supervisor, representing District 2. He has been the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors three times.

Supervisor Davis is a fourth generation Arizonan. The Davis family has been living and ranching in Yavapai County since the 1880’s. Chip Davis is serving his fifth term as Yavapai County Supervisor representing District 3 and has been Chairman of the Board of Supervisors eight times.

Steve Mauk is the Director of Yavapai County Development Services. His department developed the Yavapai County Comprehensive Plan (known in past years as the County General Plan) and the Verde Valley Regional Land Use Plan. YCDS is responsible for land-use planning, environmental services, subdivision regulations, residential plan reviews, permit applications, among others.

Lack of water is an ecological bottleneck for Arizona wildlife

Lack of water is an ecological bottleneck for Arizona wildlife

The presentation will be preceded by a brief update on the current activities of the Partnership and happenings around the watershed. Attendees will have the opportunity for Q&A with the Supervisors and Director. The event is free and everyone is invited! No RSVP necessary.

The Partnership is a scientific and educational resource raising awareness among citizens and community leaders about the workings of Verde River Basin’s interconnected groundwater and surface water systems, and the life they support.

To find out more about these events and other educational materials relating to shared water resources visit www.vrbp.org.

For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

For the best in Arizona news and views, read www.SedonaEye.com daily!

5 Comments

  1. Max says:

    Even with a few private donations, here’s another example of the stupidity of City of Sedona to spend almost half-million dollars on a water park. Since it’s been promoted as the only such facility in this neck of the woods, including Flagstaff, does anyone know if the city intends to charge an admittance fee? Where will people park? Who was it convinced the city council to approve wasting so much water? When maintenance turns out to be far more than predicted, what will happen to this idiotic and unnecessary expenditure? Why weren’t these questions properly addressed prior to the decision? Too many blind choices being made without insight to future problems. Guess I’m wrong since it appears the revised Community Plan will be approved according to a local survey. Too bad about those who don’t intend to vote. This latest “entitlement” to Northern Arizona is unnecessary, costly, impractical and contrary to conservation of water. Shameful.

  2. Under the Town of Clarkdale’s water ordinance, Drought and Water Shortage Preparedness Strategy Level 1 is automatically in effect from May 1 through Sept. 30 each year.

  3. sharlett says:

    Has anyone heard the news on Friday (3/7/14) from either channel 5 or 12 about the State wide “Water Shortage” and how “All counties in Arizona have been DECLARED a Natural Disaster Area”???

    Did you hear that Williams is in “Dire Straits” with only a 5 month supply of water? And Kingman has stopped any building permits – all due to lack of water. Water restrictions were discussed for many communities – which all makes sense in one of the largest droughts experienced…and let us not forget the growing fields of our veggies in California.

    Now, please switch gears to the City of Sedona: where our staff and Council just approved a Water Pad Park – which I now call a “Spit Park” – as when you spit into the wind it evaporates and doesn’t come back to benefit the person that spit.

    Hummmmm – what in hell is our elected not getting? All Counties, according to the news, and in Arizona, are in a Natural Disaster Area regarding drought and lack of water – yet our elected and equally or more important Parks gal Rachael – want a water pad (spit pad)???

    OMG folks – time to stop the myopic nepotism which seems to run rampant with city and Rachael and then where the buck stops: City Council must find a handle on getting back to basics instead of wasting money and water.

  4. what’s sedona water ordinance????????? that’s what matters right??????

  5. California Water Wars: Another Form of Asset Stripping?
    by Ellen Brown

    In California’s epic drought, wars over water rights continue, while innovative alternatives for increasing the available water supply go untapped. Wars over California’s limited water supply have been going on for at least a century. Water wars have been the subject of some vintage movies, including the 1958 hit The Big Country starring Gregory Peck, […]

    Read more of this post

    http://ellenbrown.com/2015/03/24/california-water-wars-another-form-of-asset-stripping/

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